What The Future Holds
by trycee
Summary: Starting with Season 5 to the Dec. 21st, 2012: Scully tells Mulder she's unable to have children. It Follows them throughout the Years. Angst/Love.
1. Chapter 1

**What The Future Holds**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 5, before Emily/Christmas Carol episode.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

They were tired as they opened their adjoined motel rooms and tossed their luggage on their beds and then closed the doors behind them. Scully looked out at the strip mall where the motel was connected and pointed towards the dumpy-looking restaurant at the end of it.

"At least there's a place to eat," Mulder said.

Scully rolled her eyes. "It looks like we'll be their only customers, Mulder, that's not a good sign."

They walked passed several businesses and Mulder noticed Scully's eyes widen as she stopped in her tracks and stared at the flashing neon sign of one of the businesses. She turned and walked on but Mulder noted her curiosity with the local Psychic/Tarot Card establishment. After their meal which they both wished they hadn't eaten, they walked back down the long cement strip and just as they came upon the Psychic shop, Mulder grabbed Scully's hand, pulling her towards the entrance. He wasn't surprised though that she stopped in her tracks and yanked her hand out of his. "MULDER, what are you doing?"

"I thought it would be fun to see what our future holds, Scully. I'm buying."

"Mulder, I don't think that's a good idea," she said, sadly.

Mulder could tell she was thinking about her cancer and for a moment he nearly walked on but instead he grabbed her hand again. "Don't go there, Scully. This is just for fun, okay? Something different. I mean, we had a rough day today with all the dead bodies we uncovered from that sick bastard who committed suicide. They are handling the autopsies locally so you have a break and I have a break and we can finally get some sleep after working this case for four days...let's just go in here and have a little fun, alright?"

Scully glanced down at Mulder's hand gripping hers and he quickly let her hand go. She nodded and then followed him in. "Remember, we won't say anything, we'll let her tell us what she thinks our future is," he whispered.

An older woman who was wearing a obivious black wig with white hairs sticking out from underneath welcomed them in to her small store-front shop. She motioned for them to sit at her round table where she placed a few cards down. "I'm a card reader, my name is Madame Diamond and welcome to my shop."

Mulder smiled but Scully sighed loudly and looked past the woman to the rolls of tarot cards, crystals and incense the woman garshly displayed for sale behind her. "Its $10 each for a card reading," she said, looking them over.

Mulder reached into his pocket and handed her a $20 bill. She smiled and then began to lay out her cards. "Hmm...interesting."

Mulder nudge Scully in the side and she glared at him. "I see you have been together for a few years."

"Yes," Mulder nodded.

"You are truly in love,"

Scully frowned while Mulder smirked. Scully was about to speak but Mulder stilled her hand and pinched it. "OUCH!", she yelled.

Madame Diamond was staring at the cards, not paying attention to the two agents in front of her. "This is incredible. I've never seen this before."

"What?", Mulder asked.

"Not only are you in love but you have an epic love. A love like no other," she said, staring at the two.

Scully looked annoyed while Mulder looked amused. "Once in a while in the universe there is a pure love and you both have that love. You are soul mates, one half of a whole. You are partners in love and partners in life."

"Mulder!", Scully said, standing up. "This is ridiculous."

"Scully, just give her a chance," he said, smiling meekly as he urged her to stay.

Scully flopped back down reluctantly as Mulder watched her. She could feel the back of her neck and ears reddening. "Go ahead," she sighed.

Madame Diamond unperturbed continued on with her reading. "I see you are both very important in this world and will live very long lives."

"That's good news," Mulder said, glancing at Scully who was staring down at her hands.

"I see a child for you both," Madame Diamond announced. "A very special child. An important child to humanity."

Mulder looked at Scully out of the corner of his eye. Scully whirled around and faced him and then looked back at Madame Diamond. "I...", she sighed, knowing that what she was about to say, Mulder had never known. "I am unable to have children," she said, slowly.

Mulder's eyes widened and his hand immediately went out to touch hers. She gripped his hand and stared at it, unable to look him in the eye. "Because of what they did to me, because of my cancer."

She could see Mulder's head drop low and she knew he was blaming himself. "It's not your fault, Mulder."

"Yes, it is," he whispered.

"But I clearly see," Madame Diamond continued. "That you WILL have a son! Your son is important to the world. You will be a mother."

At that, Scully yanked her hand from Mulder's and walked out into the crisp night air. Mulder stood up and thanked the woman and then followed Scully out.

"I hope our son doesn't have your temper," Mulder joked but stopped when he saw the tears cradled in her blue eyes. She blinked them away. "I thought this would be fun, Scully, I didn't think it would make you upset."

Scully was quiet, her arms crossed defensively in front of her. "I know Mulder but it disturbed me."

"Why? Because she thought we were a couple?", he said,again attempting humor.

"I just found out about not being able to have kids," she said, looking at him. "I always assumed that it would happen, when I had the time and found the right man."

Mulder shifted his foot and looked at her. "I'm sure you will."

She stared at him for a long while until he turned to look behind him and then back towards her. "Scully, why didn't you tell me?"

Scully looked surprised. "It was personal, Mulder."

He looked down at his feet and then back up to her. "I know but...it involves me."

"How?", she said, frowning.

"Because I'm the reason they gave you cancer. I'm the reason they abducted you."

"It's not your fault, Mulder," she sighed. "But they did take me and use me and did tests on me but you didn't do it. It wasn't you. It's not your fault."

"I thought this would be fun," he repeated.

Scully touched his hand briefly. "Let's go."

After an hour of sitting on her bed, she heard a knock on the connecting door. "Come in."

Mulder came in with a two plastic cups and a paper covered bottle. Scully smiled and Mulder sat down beside her and poured the vodka. "Thought since that didn't work, maybe this would."

He poured the vodka and then pulled out a bottle of orange juice from the large bag and poured that in. He mixed each cup with his fingers and then handed her one. She thanked him and then took a nice big gulp. He did the same and then kicked off his shoes. He sighed and then stared at the shades that covered the window of her motel room. "I don't think I'll ever have kids either," he said, finally.

Scully cocked her head to look at him. "Why not?"

Mulder locked eyes with her until she glanced away. "I don't think it's in my future."

"I'm sure there's plenty of women that would jump at the chance..."

"To deal with me long enough to create kids?", he laughed. "I don't think so."

"I didn't know you wanted kids," she said, gulping down even more of the liquid as it burned her throat going down.

"I think about it sometimes," he said, sipping on his own drink. "About what it would be like to have a wife and kids...to live a normal life. I tried it once and it didn't work out," he said, looking away.

Scully stared at the side of his head not sure if she'd heard him right. "You were married once?"

Mulder turned to her. "It didn't last long enough to warrant an annulment," he said. "It was a few years ago, I have avoided love ever since."

Scully nodded. "I was engaged once."

Mulder looked at her curiously. "Who, Jack?"

Scully laughed which made Mulder smile. "No, silly...", she said, shaking her head. "His name was Ethan and he was a jerk."

"More of a jerk than Jack?"

Scully's eyes narrowed as she stared at him. Mulder smirked and then finished his drink, pouring himself some more.

"Slow down, we have to catch a plane tomorrow morning."

"Right," Mulder said, still mixing his drink with his finger. "Come on, tell me...about this Ethan."

"He and I would've been married eventually."

"If not for what?"

Scully shook her head. "If not for you..."

"Me?", Mulder said. "What do you mean?"

"My assignment to you...that changed everything between us. I left him to join you on our first case."

Mulder's smile widened into a goofy grin. "Really?"

"Yes," she said, extending her cup so he could pour juice and vodka into her cup. She swirled the mixture around and then began to drink it down. "We're gonna be drunk."

"Hmm," Mulder said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Not a chance," she said.

"A guy could dream, couldn't he?"

Scully smiled. "So, tell me about this future you dream about," she said, changing the subject.

Mulder loosened his tie and tossed it on to the floor. Scully quickly jumped up from the bed and picked up his tie and shoes and arranged them neatly. She was aware of Mulder staring at her but she was used to it. Her heart fluttered slightly at the thought of him checking her out but she pushed that thought in the back of her mind. When she returned to her seat, Mulder smiled. "I would love to have a couple of kids, maybe a suburban home."

"YOU?", she said, shocked. "COME ON, Mulder. Seriously?"

"Okay,well, not a cookie cutter suburban home...but a nice country home somewhere, far away from the city."

"So, 2.5 kids?"

"Yeah...," he said, dreamily. "I dream about my kids, a little girl and a little boy. The girl is tough and the boy is humourous and my wife is supportive and loving."

"Hmm...", Scully said, as she stared at him.

"And we just have normal lives...holidays, birthdays...you know, normal stuff. There's no aliens or monsters, there's nothing like that."

"Really?", she said, surprised.

"Yeah," he sighed. "And I dream about being covered in grandkids and having my sister and her kids around me. Playing basketball with my son, even playing Barbies with my daughter."

At that Scully erupted into laughter. "What?", Mulder asked.

"I just can't picture you playing Barbies, Mulder."

He smiled. "There's so much you don't know about me, Scully. I used to play Barbies with Samantha."

She continued to smile but Mulder then turned to her. "Okay, whats your dreams?"

"My dreams?"

"Yes, " he said, gulping down the last bit of his vodka.

"I guess a few kids," she said, looking down sadly at her hands. "A supportive husband. A home...to see my mother smile as she held her grandkids, my kids, as she did Charles kids and will do with Bill's first child. I want that too," she said, her head draped down.

"You can still have that, Scully. Theres options."

"But it wouldn't be my biological child. They wouldn't have my hair, my eyes."

"You can adopt a baby that will look just like you," he said, his heart breaking as he watched a tear trail down her cheek. "You can even carry the baby, Scully," he said. "So you can experience child-birth, there are options."

Scully nodded. "I think I better lay down," she said, as sadness crept back into her eyes and shoulders.

Mulder stood up and watched as she gathered her things for a bath. "Goodnight, Scully..."

She looked up at him. "Goodnight Mulder."

He turned and walked back through the connecting door. She stared at it for a while and then made her way to the bathroom. She filled the tub and then undressed and sank down into the water. She erupted into tears and she covered her mouth so no one especially Mulder could hear her. "I want a baby with you," she whispered, thinking about Mulder. "But that will never happen."

Mulder sank down on his bed cursing under his breath at himself for causing Scully to feel pain and for his failed attempt at lighting her day which ended up making her feel worst. His heart was heavy because he loved her but knew she didn't love him. Even worst was that she was the one he wanted to have children with, no one else. Suddenly his heart began to ache even more for her lost but for his own. He would never see his own dreams come true, the ones he had when he thought of his future with Scully.

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	2. Chapter 2

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 2**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 8: Per Manum.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

Mulder was breathing heavily as he held Scully in his arms. She'd nearly kissed him but changed in time to kiss his cheek instead. His heart was breaking as he held her close, her tears wetting his shirt. He leaned back and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "We will find a way, Scully, it's not too late."

She pressed her head against his chest as tears continued to flow. "That was the last of the ova, though, Mulder."

"I can find more," he said, holding her tightly. "There were more than that. I'm sure I can get the guys to help me and we can search for more."

She shook her head no. "I don't think I can go through this again."

"I know I didn't say anything but, I want this too, Scully," he said, pulling her back so he could look into her eyes. "I want this too."

She stared at him for a long moment. "What are you saying?"

Mulder licked his lips. "I wanted a baby with you."

She sucked in the air around her into her lungs. "I thought you were just doing this as a favor to me."

His hand trailed down her back, pulling her closer. "No, it's for a more selfish reason."

"Selfish?", she said, looking deeply into his eyes. "I'm confused."

Mulder kissed her lips quickly as she stared at him. "If I can't have a child with you, Scully, I don't want any."

Scully looked even more confused. "You are just saying that, right?"

Mulder shook his head. "I told you how I felt, Scully, but you didn't believe me."

"You love me?", she said, surprised.

"Yes," he said, looking deeply into her eyes.

"I love you too," she said, as tears continued to fall.

"I know," he said, holding her tightly. "Just sit down and I'll make you some tea."

Scully nodded and then sat down curling her legs underneath her,. Mulder found a blanket and drapped it over her. He busied himself in the kitchen, shouting when he burned his finger with hot microwaved water. He put a tea bag in it and brought it to her. She smiled slightly and watched as he sat down next to her, his hand resting on the arm rest as Scully's head lay on his chest. "What do we do now?", she said, looking up at him.

"Whatever you want to do," he said, as she sat her tea down.

"I want to forget all about this," she said, as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Mulder held her tighter to him as the tears raked her body. He waited until she had fallen asleep before he picked up his phone. "I need your help," he said.

"Sure, what do you need?", Froehike asked.

"I want to see if we can track down more of Scully's ova."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Did you ever tell her that you had that one?", Byers asked.

"Yes, she knows," he whispered.

"And she wants to use it?", Langley asked. "But it was damaged."

"I know," Mulder said. "It wasn't viable but maybe there are some that are," Mulder said, as the tears dried on her angelic face. "I want to give her that chance."

More silence followed until Froehike broke the silence. "Are you going to contribute to the other half of the DNA, I mean, if you need someone to volunteer...I could..."

"Froehike, as sweet as that is, I don't think she would want your dried up seed. I'm sure there's a blow-up doll that would appreciate it though."

"Ha-ha, funny Mulder."

Scully shifted against him. "Get on it, try to see if you can track it down like before...start with the nursing homes."

"We're on it."

Scully mumbled something but Mulder smoothed his hand against her cheek and she drifted back off to sleep. She awoke laying down on the couch. She jumped up looking around, "Mulder?"

"I'm here," he said, pulling a pizza out of the oven. "I was trying to keep it warm for you."

She stood up and excused herself, heading shyly to the bathroom. When she returned, Mulder motioned for her to join him at her table. He placed a few slices of pizza in front of her along some ice tea. She took a few bites and then looked up to Mulder who was watching her. "I feel so weak now," she sighed. "Like my strength was just ripped away from me."

"I understand," Mulder said.

"Mulder...Did we really say all those things?"

She looked surprised when she stared into Mulder's eyes. She could see the seriousness that registered in his hazel orbs. "I meant everything _**I**_ said," he said.

Scully stared at him. "I didn't think you felt that way about me."

Mulder erupted into laughter until he saw she hadn't laughed with him. He cleared his throat and then reached over and held her hand in his. "I love you with all my heart, Scully. I want no other woman but you...and," he said, as her eyes widened. "I will wait forever for you and if we never have kids, I don't care, because I'll have You."

"I feel the same way," she said, quietly. "I was afraid you wouldn't want me if I didn't have kids."

Mulder stood up and then knelt in front of her. He swung her around so she was facing him, their eyes staring straight into each other. "That could never happen. I've wanted you since the day I met you, Scully."

Scully covered her mouth. "That's not possible."

"It is," he nodded. "I tried to get you out of my mind but I couldn't. You were everywhere, I could smell you on my skin, I could smell your hair, I could see your smile and I just wanted more of you, no matter how I tried to forget you, I couldn't."

Scully gasped. Mulder kissed her lips but pulled away quickly. "I will wait until the time is right for you. And if we ever have the chance to have kids and it works, whether adoption or something else," he said, looking into her eyes. "I'll welcome it but my future is you, Scully, no matter what."

Scully pulled him into a deep kiss until they were breathless. "Let's take our time," she said, pulling back.

Mulder nodded. "I better go..."

"You don't have too."

He stood up. "I think I better. If you need me, you know where I'll be," he said, laying a kiss on her lips, and then her forehead.

She watched as he closed the front door behind him. She smiled but then her heart began to ache again as she quickly remembered that their only opportunity to have a child was gone. She cleaned up the mess he'd left and then crawled into her bed. She stared at the wall nearly the rest of the night until just two hours before her alarm went off and she had to get up and go into work, putting her feelings aside.

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	3. Chapter 3

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 3**

**Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 8: Empedocles.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

It was finally hitting him. The baby was his! The Lone Gunmen had never found other vials filled with Scully's ova and despite what he had originally thought, she was not pregnant by someone else, namely her new partner, his replacement on the X-files. She had in fact been pregnant before he was taken and had mourned his lost only holding on because she had his child within her. The guilt was overwhelming as he sat in the waiting room unable to see her, hours after she'd been admitted. He hadn't said he was the father when asked and he regretted it just as he regretted so much. Doggett too had then been asked if he were the father and Mulder had twisted up internally at the thought. He blew out the air he was holding and stared at the magazines in front of him of happy pregnant women all with a loving husband next to them. That's what he had always imagined would happen had he known he and Scully were expecting but he hadn't known and after had been such an asshole to her, he wanted to make it up to her.

He had gone and met Agent Reyes a curious creature, he thought, at the FBI and had angered Doggett who'd slammed him against the wall. He thought that both Reyes and Doggett were nuts. He didn't have time to get involved with Doggett's personal life, his deceased son. He needed to see Scully and check in on his child. He didn't have time to figure out someone elses problems, despite the request of the strange agent, Monica Reyes.

Doggett glared at him from a distance in the waiting room. His presence unnerved him. He wished he could understand why John seemed to still linger around her. She was pregnant by him not Doggett, she was his though he had no idea what she thought at this point. It was hard on both his ego and on his heart seeing Doggett dote on Scully. He had laid claim to her years before though he wasn't sure if she still wanted him at that moment. He had hurt her in a way he had never dreamed he could. But jealousy had reared its ugly head and he had jumped to conclusions, after all, his Scully was thin, highly sexual, and had just spent the night with him right before he left which for him was just days ago, not months ago. She was not the large protruding belly he'd been met with. She was not accompanied by a man who was like a large itch on his ass. He glanced over to Doggett who met his gaze as he sat a few seats away. _"What in the hell was he still doing here_?", Mulder wandered.

The nurse approached him and Doggett jumped up, standing alongside him as she walked up to them in the waiting room. He wanted to push Doggett out-of-the-way. He wanted to hear about _HIS_ baby and the health of _HIS_ Scully **alone**! He glared at Doggett but he was too fixed on the nurse who was searching through her papers. "Dana Scully?"

"Yes," Mulder answered.

"How is she?", John questioned, which made Mulder cringe.

"She's fine," the nurse said, looking at both men.

"Are either of you the father?", the nurse asked.

Doggett shook his head no. Mulder though did not as he stood firm, conveying to the nurse with his eyes that he was the father without having to speak it. She seemed to get the hint and nodded her head. "Well, the baby is fine. So is mom but we want to continue to monitor her. She's on medicine that has her sleep for long periods at a time. She needs to remain calm. So, would you like to see her?"

"Yeah," Mulder said, pushing past the nurse to head towards the hallway leading to Scully's room.

"Only one at a time," she screamed.

Mulder turned to see Doggett hot on his heels. "Look, I'd like to see her, alone," he said, looking Doggett in the eye.

John stopped and backed up though he looked like he wanted to take another swing at him and walked back to his seat. Mulder continued on, his fist balled up. Doggett was starting to really get under his skin. He walked in and could see Scully was asleep. He placed his hand on her stomach and could feel the baby moving. He smiled. "My baby," he whispered.

"Fox," Maggie said, as she stood in the doorway. "She just fell asleep."

Mulder hugged her tightly and then turned back to Scully. "I messed up," he sighed. "I really messed things up."

"What do you mean?", she said, raising an eyebrow just like her daughter.

"I thought she was pregnant by someone else," he said, shaking his head.

"You're kidding, right?"

"No," he said, shamefully. "I remember a few years ago, Scully and I for fun went into a psychic shop and she told us we'd have a child together. Scully thought it was a cruel joke," he said, as tears streamed down his face. "This was just after she found out she couldn't have kids and it was my first time finding out about it. We were just partners then but we had feelings for each other even then."

"I know it," she smiled.

Maggie touched his arm as he continued. "Later on, we tried IVF," he said, hearing her gasp. "What I'm saying, I don't want you to repeat," he said, looking at Margaret Scully.

"I understand," she said.

"It didn't take," he said.

"So the baby happened naturally?", she questioned.

"Yes but I never knew because I was gone...I was dead," he said, not looking at her. "So then I wake up and for me its just a day after and I'm waking up in the hospital but actually months have gone by. And so I thought..."

"I know what you thought," she sighed. "Fox, nothing could be further from the truth. She is devoted to you, don't you know that?"

Mulder touched Scully's stomach feeling his baby kick. "She means everything to me."

"Then show her."

"What about this Doggett guy?", he said, turning towards her. "What's his deal?"

Maggie smiled. "He was there for her and I'm grateful for that. He doesn't have to be so concerned, Fox, but he is. She loves you. Don't be angry with him because he was protecting her."

"I'll try," he said. "He irks me though."

Maggie looked at her daughter and then over to Mulder. "I remember when she told me about the baby," she said, looking up to him. "All she could say was that she needed to find you to tell you. She was worried that I'd be disappointed in her for having a baby out-of-wedlock but," she said, smoothing her hand over her daughter's legs. "She was more worried that she would never share this experience with you. She was in shock, she couldn't believe it was true. I reassured her that I wasn't upset with her and that we would find you."

Mulder nodded as Maggie continued. "Then after the shock of your death wore off and let me tell you, I had a time trying to calm her. The only thing that did comfort her was the fact that within her was a part of you that would live on forever and so in a way, she hadn't lost you. You were still there. "

She handed Mulder a tissue as the tears trailed his face. He wiped his eyes and gulped down his tears. "Then when you came back...She tried explaining it to me but I didn't understand. I mean, I saw her throw dirt on your grave. Skinner and I thought she'd throw herself on top of your casket," she sighed. "But then she was so quiet and I knew something was wrong and so I asked her. And she told me, 'He doesn't want us', " Maggie said.

"NO, " Mulder said, bending his head down and resting his head lightly against her stomach. "I _do_ want them," he said, through tears. "God, they are all I want!"

"Then when she wakes up, show her, Fox!", she said, touching his back. "Show her."

Mulder nodded. "I will. I make it up to her from now on," he said, touching his baby in her stomach. "I love her. She's my soul mate."

"I believe that," Maggie answered.

"I'll be back at my old office for a while but I'll be back," he said, reluctantly turning from her. "If she wakes up, let her know but I'll be back."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?", she said, surprised.

"I want too. But this Agent flew in and has me looking at a case."

"Can't that wait."

"It will," he said. "I'm just going over there to read a file and I'll be back," he said, handing her his card. "Call if she wakes up or for any reason. I promise I'll be back."

Maggie looked disappointed but she watched as he reluctantly turned from Scully and walked out the door.

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	4. Chapter 4

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 4**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 8: Empedocles.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

"I think the baby does want some pizza now," she said, setting the doll aside, grinning.

Mulder hopped up off the couch and placed a few slices of warmed pizza on a plate and handed it to her. "For you and my baby," he smiled.

Scully smiled shyly as they locked eyes with each other. "You're making me happy, Mulder."

"That's my job, Scully," he said, sitting next to her, a small distance between them. "I just want you to know how important this is for me too."

She stopped chewing and stared at him. "I didn't think so," she swallowed. "I know we tried before but then I didn't think you wanted us."

"I'm sorry for making you feel that way," he said, staring down at his lap. His eyes met hers and he could see forgiveness in her eyes. "I love you, Scully. "

"I love you too," she said, reaching out and touching his hand. "We'll get through this."

"We will. We'll start over," he said, tightly gripping her hand. "So what do you need? What do you need me to do?"

She smiled, enjoying the attention she was getting. "A back massage would be nice."

Mulder stood up and walked around the side of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and Scully shuddered. It had been the first time she'd felt his touch in months. Mulder bent down and kissed the back of her neck which surprised her even more. He could tell from her reaction that it had been a long, long time for her though for him it was like a week had passed. He smoothed his hand over her back, listening to the hitch in her voice as she responded. He then softly pressed his fingers into the muscles of her back. Within a few minutes she was moaning which made his body react but he quickly tapped the thought down. When he removed his hands, she was practically asleep and so he grabbed her up and helped her waddle into her bedroom where he removed the blankets and helped her into her large bed. She looked to see where he was heading but was pleased when she saw him climb in on the other side of her. She rested her head on his shoulder as he rubbed her stomach and the baby kicked at each stroke. "Is it a boy or a girl?", he asked.

"You're still trying to get me to tell you, huh?", she said, sleepily.

"I need to know if I should order pink or blue cigars."

Scully's hand crept over the top on her stomach and she held his hand still. "Don't quote me on this, but it feels like a boy to me. I don't know how I would know but that's what it feels like."

She could feel Mulder smile against her hair. "A boy...", he said, proudly. "I'd be equally happy if it were a girl but a son...", he smiled. "Hey, didn't that psychic lady say we'd have a boy?"

"And you still believe her?"

"You don't?", he said, surprised. "She was right, Scully. She said you'd be a mother and you are. She'd said we'd have a child."

"That's true," she said. "She was right. Who knew such a rinky-dink little psychic in a rundown shop would be correct."

"Such snobbery, Scully," he laughed.

She laughed back. "This feels really good, Mulder."

"What does?"

"Having you hold me," she said, as her eyes began to tear up. "I can't tell you what it was like to lose you. To think I'd be a single mother and that my child would never know his father,"she said, erupting into tears.

Mulder held her tighter and pulled her even closer against him. "God, Scully, what I've put you through..."

He held her for a long time until she'd fallen asleep. He laid her down and then curled up against her. He stared at her as she slept, his hand on her stomach.

When she awaken, she could feel Mulder spooned up to her. She slid out of bed and went to the bathroom. When she returned she could see Mulder reaching for her and she slid back into the bed but then her stomach began to growl. Mulder woke up. "Your hungry?"

She looked embarrassed. "You heard that?"

"My hand began to rumble," he joked. "The baby is hungry for breakfast and daddy will make something for mommy," he said, jumping up.

"You're gonna cook?", she said, alarmed.

Mulder chuckled. "No. I was hoping there was something in your fridge I could just warm up."

"My mom made a few casseroles for me," she said, rising up. "There's a french toast casserole, you just need to reheat it," she said, following behind him.

He opened her freezer and found the neatly labeled covered casserole dish among the other neatly labeled dishes. He read the frozen handwritten instructions on top of it. "Heat at 350 for 45 minutes," he said, turning on the oven and shoving it inside.

Scully shook her head as she watched him. "Okay, but baby is hungry now, so what can daddy make for baby and mommy?"

"Are you going to continue to talk like that?", she smirked.

"I might."

"I hope not," she said, seating herself at the table.

Mulder looked at her curiously. "Okay, what can I make for you."

"There's orange juice, some kiwi and strawberries and yogurt in the fridge."

Mulder cut up the fruit and poured two glasses of orange juice and placed the yogurt in front of her. He watched her eat and then sat down next to her. She looked up at him. "We need to talk," she said.

Mulder nodded his head and then took a sip from his juice. "Okay..."

"No one knows you're the father," she said.

Mulder looked surprised. "Are you sure? I mean, your mom knew."

"Of course my mom knows," she said. "But I mean at the FBI. Skinner I think has an idea. I mean, he knows us so well."

"Yes, I'm sure he has an idea," Mulder answered.

"But, even though the rumor mill has churned ever since we've been together and I'm sure everyone 'knows' your the father, they don't know officially."

"So what are you saying?", he said.

Scully sighed and glanced down at her hands. Mulder placed a hand on top of hers. "Scully, spit it out."

"It's just," she said. "I'm scared they'll try to separate us."

"The same fear as always," he sighed. "I'm tired of worrying about _THEM_."

Scully searched his eyes. "Are you angry?"

"No," he lied. "We'll keep it quiet awhile. I'll be just your partner," his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Just for now," she said. "In front of Doggett and Skinner."

She could see Mulder's mouth twist up and she reached out and touched his hand. "I'm sorry."

"No, its okay. I mean, I screwed up, I shouldn't expect to be dad right away."

"It's not that," she said, as her head dropped. She looked up at him. "I have to decide if I want to stay in the X-files or not."

Mulder removed his hand from hers. "You're leaving?"

"Mulder, we have a child now," she said, looking surprised. "Whose gonna stay home with the baby? You or me?", she said.

Mulder stood up suddenly and walked to the sink. "What would you do?"

"Teach," she said. "But I didn't decide yet."

"But we can't go chasing after aliens with a baby," he said, turning to her. "You can't stay in the X-files."

"I didn't decide yet..."

"I did," he said, firmly.

Scully sat back and stared out numbly.

"You're about to go on maternity leave soon, right?"

"Yes," she said, quietly.

"After the baby born, you'll put in a transfer to Quantico."

Scully locked eyes with him. "But Mulder..."

"Scully," he said, looking at her. "That's over now. I won't let you go back out there. Our baby needs you."

"He needs you too," she whispered.

"No arguing," Mulder said. "Decision made," he said, turning from her and opening the stove to check on the casserole dish.

Scully sighed. "What about Doggett?"

Mulder turned to look at her. "I'll be there. Maybe they'll re-assign him."

Mulder sliced the casserole and placed it in front of her. He handed her some syrup and then dished up his own food and sat down beside her. They sat and ate in silence. When they were done, Mulder cleaned up and Scully looked at him. "I'm gonna take a shower. I've got to go into work today. Are you going?"

Mulder looked concerned. "You were just in the hospital."

"I promise I won't do anything to compromise the baby."

Mulder nodded. "Yeah. Do I still have clothes here?"

Scully smiled. "The babies room," she said, pointing towards the spare bedroom.

Mulder hadn't seen the room yet and so he walked over to it and opened it. He was surprised to see it fully decorated with a crib and rocker and stocked full of diapers and other supplies. He opened the closet and there was even more baby clothes hanging. Pushed further back was his suits. He pulled one out and turned back to look at his baby's room. "Not long now, buddy. Not long now..."

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	5. Chapter 5

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 5**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 9: Trustno1**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

Mulder stared at the calendar. It had been three months since he'd left Scully and William and moved into a rundown shack in the desert with Gibson Praise. Every morning they had to go gather water at the edge of a stream and Mulder was far from enjoying this primitive lifestyle. He understood the reasons he needed to hide out and it helped that Gibson had found a place off the grid sort-of-speak, with no electricity, running water, nothing that would generate a bill and therefore lead to their discovery, but it really bothered Mulder living in the blazing heat in a sand-covered shack which was partially buried underground and without his family.

Skinner had managed to mail him off a photo of Scully holding baby William and he stared at the photo every night. He had also sent word that all three Gunmen were dead. He was guilt ridden at the thought that his friends had died and that he hadn't been there to protect them but he was even more afraid for Scully and the baby because now they weren't there to protect her. He had access to a computer that the guys had configured for him which they were sure could not be traced but he could not use it often. He wanted so desperately to see her, to be with her and his son and it was like a dagger in his heart to be away.

Gibson made his way towards the rundown shack on an Indian reservation. He brought with him a bag full of supplies. He spotted Mulder on the porch and waved. Mulder hopped off and gathered the stuff and placed it near the two chairs on the porch. "What did you get?"

"Some canned goods and some blue corn mush."

Mulder made a face and Gibson looked at him. "You go the next time."

Mulder shrugged his shoulders. "I'm getting antsy here. I will the next time."

"You're thinking you could hunt. "

Mulder shrugged his shoulders. "I'm used to killing mutants but I could try my hand at a deer. It would give me something to do. There's plenty of deer roaming around here."

"You're thinking about Scully and your son."

"I miss them," he said, staring out at the desert. "I miss my life. My son is growing up without me."

Gibson looked at him. "You think its your fault your friends have died. You still blame yourself for things that aren't your fault."

"Yeah," he said, picking up a rock and tossing it into the air, not paying attention to where it lands. "I feel like my heart is breaking into pieces."

"She misses you too. But they will come after you if you go back."

"I don't care," he said, shaking his head. "I can't do this. I mean, I'm grateful for staying here in Weed Hope with you but I miss _MY_ family."

"I wouldn't know what that's like," Gibson said, sadly.

"Your parents, they died awhile ago, right?"

"They killed them so I had no one to go back home too in Guam."

Mulder nodded. "When you grow up and have a family of your own. There's nothing like that feeling," Mulder began. "And I feel like I'm failing at it. We were just getting back to the way things were supposed to be. I wasn't going to hide that I was the father any more. But this business with the super soldiers..."

"Which you almost were," Gibson reminded him.

"And not being there when my child was born, leaving Scully and Monica there alone to face those things," he said, as his stomach cramped up. "And then to spend just ONE night as a complete family just to have that all taken away from us," he said, "How could I have left?"

"You know she told you to go."

"I need to get my mind off things or else I'll go insane thinking of things," Mulder said, jumping up.

Just then an Indian teenager with long hair was spotted coming up to their shack. He waved to Mulder but then approached Gibson. "He has mail. There's a letter from Scully. Skinner managed to smuggle it here," Gibson said, reading the boys thoughts.

Mulder snatched the letter out of the Indian teens hands. Gibson turned to his friend. "He said, 'Thank You."

His friend turned and walked back towards the hill where he had come. Mulder opened the manilla envelope. There was a photo of Scully smiling with baby William on her lap. Her face was lit up as she stared at her son and his chubby face was smiling back. Mulder broke down into tears as he stared at them. "I can't do this!", he screamed out. "DAMNIT, I can't do it!"

Gibson glanced at the photo and he could feel the pain that Mulder was feeling. "If you go back, what will you do?"

"I'll take my family and run."

"And go where?"

"You already know, you can read my thoughts"

"Why don't you focus on finding the truth. They are safe. They _will_ be safe. But you must find the truth!"

Mulder stared out into the desert view. "Yeah I guess."

"That's what you need to focus on now."

He searched the envelope and pulled out a wad of money, he knew was from his parents estate that Scully had sent to him. He then opened the letter written in her handwritting.

_**"Dear Mulder,**_

_** I miss you so much. More than I could ever express. My love for you is deep so don't ever doubt my love for you. I show William your photo every night and he smiles. I think he recognizes you. I want you to know that I believe in your quest. I know that it is not safe yet for you to return, though I want you too desperately. We miss you so very much. I miss everything about our love. It was too brief and God only knows how hard it is to go on without you. But I will, Mulder, I will. But I can't be without you forever, so please hurry and come back to us. Please! I'm counting down the days until I can love you again.**_

_**Forever Your Love, **_

_** Scully"**_

After Mulder wiped his tears, he placed everything back into the envelope. "I'm going for a walk," he announced.

Gibson watched him walk off. Mulder walked on until he reached the Wash, with just a small stream of water running through it. He was careful to look out for snakes as he walked on. Finally he came to a trailer he had seen many times but had never stopped at. He walked up to the home and was met by a shotgun n his face. "what are you doing here?", the elderly Indian man asked.

Mulder said nothing but the man lowered his gun. "I've seen you here. White men are always moving on to our land," he said, annoyed. "We are a sovereign nation. Can you just walk from South Korea to North Korea and start living there?", the man yelled.

"I'm just going for a walk."

"Something on your mind?", he asked.

Mulder looked down at his dusty feet. "I'm far away from home and I miss my family," Mulder answered.

The old man gestured for him to come up towards him. Mulder took a few steps up to where the man sat on the rickety porch attached to a worn-down trailer. He was drinking a beer and offered Mulder a warm bottle. Mulder accepted and tried to drink as much of the liquid as he could stomach. "Is it your wife or girlfriend?", the man asked.

"Yes...," Mulder said. "And our child."

"What are you doing out here?", he said, pointing towards the vast expanse of desert land. "Why aren't you there with them?"

"I'm on a quest," Mulder announced.

"A quest, huh?", the man said, looking Mulder over. "You're not one of those druggies that moved here cause its called WEED Hope, are you?"

Mulder chuckled. "No."

"Then what quest are you on?", he asked as he puffed at his cigarettes and took a swig of his beer.

"I'm in search of the Truth."

The old man laughed a loud throaty laugh, chuckling and tapping at his leg until he had run out of steam. "Is this whats keeping you from your kid and your girl?"

"Yeah," Mulder answered.

"Well, seems like you need to get too it then."

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	6. Chapter 6

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 6**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 9: The Truth**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

Scully stared out the window as the car sped off. She turned to look at Mulder and smiled. She could see he hadn't returned her smile though. She glanced down at the floor of the SUV, avoiding his gaze. Mulder cleared his throat. "I know what you're thinking and you're wrong."

"What am I thinking?", she said.

"You're thinking that I'm upset with you because of William."

"You are aren't you?", she said, as tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm hurt but not angry, Scully," he said, glancing at her before returning his gaze to the road.

"Tell me," she said. "Tell me what I did too you."

Mulder glanced at her and then pulled the car over on the side of the road. He turned towards her. "I understand why, Scully and I don't blame you. I could never blame you for that. You did what you thought was right. I'd rather our son have a chance at a better life then to be kidnapped or murdered...", he said as she covered her face and cried into her hands.

Mulder pulled her into his chest. "Skinner told me what happened and I would never fault you for that, ever."

"Then what is it?", she said, leaning up to look into his eyes. She could see he was torn up inside. She touched his cheek and he pressed his forehead together with hers.

"All I could think about this entire time was coming home to you both. It just hurts that he's not with us, that's all. Mother's sacrifice for their children, good ones that is," he said, as he remembered his own mother. "And you are the best mother there is, Scully," he said, pulling back so he could look into her eyes. "You sacrificed your own happiness to give him the best life possible and I have to believe that is what he'll have."

Scully wrapped her arms around him and clung to him so tightly, he could feel her heart beating. "I will always love you, Scully. I think you're scared that I won't."

She glanced up at him. "That was one of my fears, yes."

He shook his head and mouthed the words no. "Not in a million years. It's us against the world, Scully."

She nodded. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," he said, more solemnly.

"Mulder?"

"Yeah?", he said, looking off past her to the dry brush that doted the landscape for as far as the eye could see.

"What is it? What did you find out there that you won't tell me."

He shook his head and pulled away, starting the car. She stared at him as he pulled back onto the road. "Mulder?"

He remained silent and she turned away from him lookng out at the passing scenery. She could see that they were close to Texas and she was sure he must be headed towards the Mexican border though she was unsure of where he was going. She figured that maybe he was taking her to wherever he had lived all this time while he was in hiding. She figured that maybe he knew of some safe haven they could stay for a while until the coast was clear.

She wasn't sure what their future held. She had bouts of fear at times throughout the past day and a half as Mulder sped off towards the Western United States. Each time they came upon a town she was afraid of a speed trap with an overzealous policemen who'd pull them over and find out that they were former FBI Agent's on the run. Scully was afraid of going to jail and possibly prison but she would choose no other way, she had to be with him, there was no question of that.

Mulder watched as she quickly fell back to sleep. Scully always fell asleep in cars, it was one habit she had that he loved the most. He could watch her sleeping for hours. He had missed watching her sleep throughout the past few months he was away. And it was something he was afraid he'd never see again just a few hours before when at his illegal trial he'd been sentenced to death. He shook his head and tried to keep his eyes on the road. They would need to stop soon and get a hotel. He was looking forward to making love to her, something that hadn't happened in so long he was afraid it might be awkward for them both. Mulder glanced at her and his body began to stir. He decided that the next hotel that he found, he would stop in and get them settled in. They had a lot of catching up to do.

Scully awoke in Mulder's arms, a smile playing on his face as well as hers. "I missed this," she said, as she played with the small curls on his chest. "I miss us."

"Me too," he said, sitting up.

Scully sat up with him, and placed a pillow behind her. "When you were away. Where were you?", she asked.

Mulder kissed her shoulder. "Out in the desert with Gibson in a little shack, wishing I was with you every second of the day."

"What was there to do there?"

Mulder shook his head. "There was nothing to do. We were living on an Indian Reservation with the nearest store several miles away. It was just us and the desert for the most part. I was going stir-crazy. I'm not sure how I made it without losing my mind."

"I kept busy teaching at Quantico."

"Oh?", he said, curiously.

"I like teaching but it wasn't the same," she sighed. "It did help me stay busy though."

Mulder understood the underlying meaning of what she was saying. He knew that she'd thrown herself into working once she'd given William up. He couldn't imagine her without him or their son and he hugged her tighter. "I missed you more than I could ever say, Scully. You are such a strong woman. I'm proud to be with you. You make me proud."

Scully was stunned. She stared into his eyes and saw him smiling back at her. "I missed you Mulder. You're my rock, my strength..."

"And you are mine."

Scully slid her hand into his and they both stared at how well they fit each other. "I miss our son," she said, gripping his hand tighter. "I miss the way he'd smile a crooked smile like you?"

Mulder's eyebrows raised. "OH?"

"I swear, its like looking at you," she said.

"I think he still looks like you," he said, reaching for his bag and rambling through the pockets, he pulled out the photo's he had of Scully with William. Mulder fingered the photo, tracing the lines on the babies face. "He has your sparkling blue eyes and pale skin and a hint of red hair."

Scully smiled. "He has your spirit and your heart," she said, gripping his hand again.

"I love what we created," he said proudly, wrapping his arm around her.

Scully rested her head on his shoulder and ran her hand alongst his massive chest. "I believe in you, Mulder. Whatever you're doing, wherever we're going. I believe in you."

Mulder could feel his heart swell with love for her. He didn't think it was possible to love her even more.

"I believe in you too Scully and I believe in us. And that's why we need to find the truth, for us and our son."

They were silent as they both stared at the photo. Finally Mulder placed the photo back into his bag. He slid his hand underneath her and brought her on his lap facing him. They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment before their lips met in a deep aggressive kiss. They made love again before falling asleep and waking early to continue on01 to Roswell, New Mexico.

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	7. Chapter 7

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 7**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 9: The Truth**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

Scully stared out at the Pacific ocean, feeling the breeze against her skin. She closed her eyes as the salty air swirled around her. She hadn't been in San Diego since she and Mulder had investigated a case where they had posed as a couple. That was so long ago, she thought. And before that had been Emily's funeral. She had visited Emily's grave when she arrived and had laid fresh flowers on her daughter's grave where their hadn't been any in years. But now, she was standing looking out at a view she hadn't really seen since she was thirteen when her parents had uprooted her from their home in Annapolis to the sunny shores of San Diego. She had a jacket and tight fitting hood on covering her now blondish hair. She was nervous as she stood on the pier waiting for them. She glanced around trying to see if she could spot them but after waiting a half an hour, she became worried and checked her watch numerous times. And then she heard it, the familiar voice and she turned to see her mother, standing with her brothers in front of her. Before she could react, she was in her mother's arms, as Margaret gripped her tightly. "Oh god, Dana," she said, unable to stop herself from crying into her daughter's shoulder.

Scully wiped her own tears and then kissed her mother's worn cheek several times. "I love you mom," she said.

She then glanced at her brothers. Charles hugged her tightly, wiping his own eyes. "Its been too long, sis."

"I know," she sighed.

She looked up at Bill and she could see both love and anger in his features. It was exactly what she was afraid of. He finally reached out and hugged her close to him. "Dana...", was all he could say.

Maggie held her hand, refusing to let it go. "Where's Fox?"

Scully looked at Bill and could see his face reddening. "He's up at the café," she said, nervously. "Lunch is on us."

She could see that they were all nervous and reluctant but she wrapped her arms around her equally small mother's waist and began to walk with her up the long pier and then on to the cafe. When they entered, Scully separated herself and walked up to Mulder. They gave each other a quick peck and then he hugged Maggie and then shook Charles' hand. It was the first time they'd ever met. He nodded to Bill who just stared harshly at him and so he turned and waved for the group to follow him to a more private area in the café with a large table. They seated themselves with Mulder sitting at the end and Bill sitting at the other end. Mulder scratched at his full beard which he was still trying to get used too and winked at Scully on his right whom he could see was both excited and frightened. After the waitress handed them waters and menu's, Scully turned to her mother and brothers. "Where's Jill and Tara and all the boys?"

Charles shot a look over to Bill, waiting for him to answer. "We thought we'd meet you first and see what you're going to say...Its been three years, Dana," he said, glaring at Mulder.

"I know," she gulped and glanced over to Mulder who laid his hand over hers, a display of unity in front of her family. "Mulder and I will be moving to a house in Virginia. I will be going back to work at a hospital."

"But how?", Maggie asked.

"Skinner had me exonerated," she said. "I'm not wanted any more. My record is officially wiped clean."

"But what about..._him_?", Bill said, with disdain.

"I'm still wanted," Mulder answered.

Bill ignored him and directed his question to his sister. "Why don't you stay here and work here. I mean, you can stay with Tara and I and Matthew would love to have his only Aunt around."

She smiled and dropped her head but then glanced at Mulder. Their eyes locked for a long moment and then she turned to answer her brother. "I appreciate that, Bill, but Mulder and I are a couple. You know that. I'm not going anywhere without him."

Bill shook his head. "Jesus. You're here undercover with your hair dyed some hideous color and you won't get out while you have the chance? What's wrong with you Dana? Can't you think for yourself? Or are you afraid to leave him?."

Mulder stared at Bill. "Don't say that again."

"She's my sister!", he said, slamming his hand down on the table.

"And she is my partner!", Mulder said, as his temper began to flare.

"Partner, not wife...", Bill said, rolling his eyes.

"And the mother of my son. This has nothing to do with you. This is between us."

"It has nothing to do with me?", Bill said, surprised. "She's my sister! She's my family!"

"Bill!", Maggie said.

"This is our lives we're talking about," Mulder said, raising up, his fist balled up.

Scully jumped up and touched his arm. "Mulder," she said, so softly it was nearly a whisper.

Mulder looked at Scully and they searched each other's eyes, connecting to each other in a way that needed no words. Mulder bent down and kissed her in front of her family and then sat back down. Scully, still standing, turned to look at her brother. "I love you Bill. And I understand you've been worried about me..."

"Worried?", Bill laughed. "You have no idea what we went through the past 3 years Dana!", he said, with a reddened face. "I thought any day I would get a call saying they identified your body somewhere!", he said, slamming his hand down again. "Because you ran off with this jackass!", he said, pointing to Mulder. "And left us and everything you had to follow after him!"

"I don't expect you to understand," Scully said. "But let me ask you this, Bill. If Tara were wrongly accused, would you leave and follow her?"

Bill was silent as he glared at Mulder. Mulder though was staring at the tough woman he loved that could handle anything thrown at her, even her highly angered brother. "Now, can we please just eat? Please?", she said, looking over her mother and brother Charles who hadn't said a word and then back to Bill. She sat back down and the waitress who had stood nearby and was afraid they'd come to blows, walked up to them. "Would you like to order now?"

They ate their meal in near silence and then both Mulder and Scully followed her family back to Bill's home. Tara was pacing the floor waiting for a phone call. She rushed out the door when she saw Bill's car pull into the driveway with a young pre-teen Matthew hot on her heels. She looked up surprised when she saw another car pull in behind his. She took a second look but then recognized the blond-haired woman as her sister-n-law and the dark-bearded man as Mulder. She covered her mouth as the small woman approached her and wrapped her in her arms. "Tara," Scully said.

"Dana, oh Dana we've missed you," she said, holding her tightly. "You're brother hasn't slept in 3 years."

Scully felt a twinge of guilt and she looked up into Bill's eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, looking at them both. "I didn't mean to hurt you. But I don't regret going off with Mulder."

Tara reached out and shook Mulder's hand. "Mulder, you're looking good."

"Thanks," he said, shyly.

Matthew waited patiently beside his mother, waiting for his aunt to notice him. Her blue eyes settled on him and she smiled a gentle smile. "Matthew, my god. Has it been so long?", she said, hugging him tightly. "I missed out on everything," she said, sadly.

He had glasses and braces with spiky red hair. "Aunt Dana, I remember you sent me a telescope for Christmas," he said, of the aunt he barely knew.

"You remembered that?", Scully said, surprised.

"Yes," he said, with a squeaky voice.

"Come on in," Tara spoke, inviting them into her military home.

Mulder and Scully both sat on the couch. They had moved about so much in the past three years it felt odd for them both to be in anything but a motel room or other undesirable place. Maggie sat down next to her daughter and Scully shifted from leaning against Mulder to leaning against her mother, who stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Scully said. "We didn't realize how much pain we've caused you. Caused you all," she said, speaking to her other family members.

"That's over now," Maggie said, firmly. "Tell us whats next. Where is this house in Virginia?"

Mulder cleared his throat. "I have a house I bought that's been registered by some friends of mine under an alias before they passed away," he said, trying to clearly explain to her family. "We will be living there. Its up in the hills an hour away from her new job and just a few hours from D.C.

"I'm excited to get back to work," Scully said. "Skinner has put in my record that I was working overseas for the past three years," she smiled. "So, I'm free to work and I've been accepted at a Catholic hospital."

Maggie smiled. "A Catholic hospital, I'm happy."

"What will you be doing, Mulder?", Charles asked.

Scully reached out and gripped Mulder's hand as she laid on her mother's chest. "Mulder will still have to hide but he'll be able to hide out at home."

"What was the reason you ran?", Tara asked.

Mulder glanced over to Bill who shook his head and walked out of the room. "I was illegally tried for a crime I didn't commit. Scully had proven that I hadn't committed the crime but they illegally sentenced me to death anyway."y

"Death by lethal injection," Scully added. "From a crime proven that he had not committed."

Silence hung in the air for a long moment. Scully then spoke up. "I was devastated," she said, the memory still fresh in her mind. "And actually, our superior, our A.D., our partners and even our A.D's boss," she said, trying to explain simply to her family. "Helped break Mulder out of the prison where he was being illegally held and helped us escape."

"So it was several people who helped you run?", Charles asked. "So they had sentenced you to death without a fair trial?"

"It was an underground trial," Mulder answered. "It was completely illegal and hidden. If we had not run, I would be dead now."

Scully sat up from her mother and leaned into Mulder's arms. He held her tightly as the memory played in both of their minds.

"I told her to go," Maggie said. "I knew your sister wouldn't last without Fox this time," she said, looking at her daughter and Mulder. "They need each other."

Scully and Mulder locked eyes, the love between them visible to all.

"That was an extremely hard time for us," Mulder said, his eyes still resting on Scully's.

"But that's all behind us now," Scully said, turning to look at Bill who was standing in the doorway, listening. "We just wanted to see you all before we head back East. I can freely visit you all now," she said. "And mom, I expect you to visit us and I'll visit you from now on because we won't be too far from each other now."

Maggie nodded. "I'm grateful for that," she said, trying to hide her emotions but Scully heard it in her voice.

"It's only going to get better," Scully said, looking up into Mulder's eyes.

He winked at her and she smiled. Bill popped the top of the beer he was holding and took a hard long swig.

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	8. Chapter 8

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 8**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: Post Season but before IWT**B

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

Scully stared at the mess in front of her. The house had been abandoned long before and no human had lived in it for many years. She sighed as she looked around the shell of a house, covered in dust, with tall weeds and an abandoned barn. Mulder was out back chopping down weeds. She could see him stripped of his shirt, sweat dripping from his muscles with sweat wetting the waist of his pants. She wiped at her own sweat-covered forehead as she gripped a broom and looked around. The windows were open and she could feel the slight breeze that came through. She was unhappy and after her fight with Mulder, she had concentrated on cleaning while he tackled the outside. One lone chair was all they had and she sat down a moment to take a break.

She turned to see him opening the back door. He looked at her and she could see the tension in his face as he continued on to the sink, turning on the faucet and letting it run cold. He grabbed up a glass, one of the few dishes they had and drank the cool liquid down as Scully watched him. He turned around suddenly and she glanced down, trying to steady herself for what she knew would be an explosion of his anger.

"YOU DON'T LIKE IT THEN GO!", he said, pointing to the door. "GO!"

She sat there as his words wrapped around her. A single tear trailed down her cheek and she left it, unmoving as she sat still. He walked over to her, stomping hard as he walked up to her, his eyes blazing. "I'm serious," he snarled.

She looked up to him and he could see the pain in her eyes. She could see him soften. He could never handle watching her cry. Normally, he would touch her and apologize but she knew he wouldn't at that moment. She stood up and grabbed the broom and turned her back to him, sweeping up the pile of dirt and muck on the floor. He watched her and then turned and walked back out, heading back to the weeds in the backyard. After he'd gone, she swung around and stared at the direction he had left. She wiped her tear, swallowed hard and finished sweeping the corner. Her cell phone rang and she answered it. "Dana?", her mother asked.

"Yes," she said, with a soft rattling voice.

"What is it, what's wrong?", her mother questioned.

"Its nothing," Scully lied.

"Dana, honey, I know you too well..."

"It's nothing," Scully began. "Mulder and I had a fight."

Maggie sighed. "Are you alright?"

Scully licked her lips. "The house needs a ton of work. A lot of money will have to be poured into it," she said, as she spotted a mouse scurrying in the corner.

"I know you," Maggie spoke. "You'll do it. It'll be a lot of work but you'll do it."

"There isn't much here in town," she said, thinking about the small one block main street. "I'll need some furniture. I think I'll go look and see what I can find. I'm sure I can make it a home."

"You and Fox's home, a permanent home," Maggie added. "You've been on the run for so long."

"I know," she sighed. "Its just not what I expected it to be."

"What did you expect?", Margaret Scully asked.

"I don't know," Scully said, looking around at the kitchen window that was missing from the window frame. "The foundation is good and there is just minor problems, I guess."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she said, "I guess it's not so bad. We've been in worst," she said, thinking over the past three years. "It needs a woman's touch."

Scully could feel him standing behind her without needing to turn around. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him. She closed her eyes at the contact and sighed contentedly. "Well," Maggie said, understanding that Mulder must have been close by. "I will let you go. Tell Fox I said, Hi."

"Hi, Mrs. Scully," Mulder said, into the phone.

Maggie laughed. "Call me later."

"Okay," Scully said. "Bye, mom."

"Bye," she said, hanging up.

Scully could feel his lips against her forehead. His arms began to explore her body, teasingly. "Oh no you don't," she said, stepping away from him. She was still tense though she knew the argument was now over.

She could see a surprised expression on his face, his unspoken question of why not.

"I'm going to go to town," she said, reaching out for his hand. Her small hand was swallowed up by his larger one."There's a grocery store, so I thought I'd get us some food and maybe check out that thrift store for a little furniture. There isn't much of a choice in this town."

"Want me to come with you?", he asked.

"You can't be seen," she said, as a reminder. "As far as everyone is concerned, I'm a single woman."

"I don't like the idea of that," Mulder said.

She laughed but noticed that he hadn't. "Mulder, I'm only a single woman to them out there," she said, pointing to the world.

Mulder still didn't smile and so she walked into his arms, enjoying the feel of him. She pulled away and Mulder kissed her lips softly. She smiled and then glanced down at her clothes. "I better clean up before I go into town."

Mulder watched her head to the empty master bedroom. He followed behind her. "We still have my bed and things in storage including my old fish tank. We could put it in here," he said, looking at the pallet they had spread out on the floor as they're makeshift bed.

"Okay," she said, heading for the bathroom.

He followed behind her and watched as she stripped out of her clothes and turned on the shower. He glanced at is own sweaty body and began to strip out of his own clothes. He stepped in the large shower behind her and she turned and started washing his body. He enjoyed her careful technique as she lathered him up. He took the bar of soap out of her hands and started lathering her up as well paying as much detail as she had him. They both knew it wasn't sexual at that moment, they were just caring for each other. After they'd showered, Mulder dressed in boxers and a pair of shorts. "I think I'll go sweep up the space that will be my office."

"Sweep mine too, okay?", she said, dressing in a breezy sun dress that exposed her lotioned legs. She wore a white bra that was hidden modestly underneath her dress and she slipped on a pair of casual sandals.

Mulder walked with her to the door and kissed her lips quickly. "Hurry back, Scully."

"What do you want for dinner?", she said, as she touched his strong bare chest, feeling the muscles beneath her.

"I'm open. Just hurry home. I'm not sure I like the idea of you out there without me."

Scully sighed. "Mulder, we're gonna have to separate for awhile while I go back to work. Its going to be hard," she said, recognizing her own anxiety after having spent every moment with him for the past three years. "I won't be long. You have my cell phone number. I'll call you when I leave the grocery store and when I leave that store."

"Ok," he said.

They kissed and he watched as she climbed into her brand-new car and drove away.

"We need a gate," he said, to himself as he looked out at the land surrounding their home. He turned and grabbed up the broom and headed up the small steps to his would-be office.

The moment Scully entered the small grocery store, she was being stared at by people she understood probably had probably all grown up together and here she was a stranger walking into their grocery store. She picked up the sales paper, aware of the whispers and stares. She smiled at them and manuevered her cart passed people who had stopped in their tracks to look at her. She tried to keep her mind on what they needed for nurishment. She picked up salad fixings and moved on to meat. She quickly filled her buggy with side dishes and then spotted a few bags of sunflower seeds. She cleared the shelf of it as others watched her closely. She noticed the limited offerings at the store but shrugged it off as she continued on. She walked up to the counter even though she felt like she herself was on sale from the way everyone stared. She smiled at the cashier who looked at her curiously. "I've never seen you before," the girl said.

Scully smiled and looked the other cashiers and locals. She turned back to the cashier. "I just moved here."

"Here?", the girl said, in disbelief. "No one moves here. They move out of here not in."

Scully chuckled as she loaded the counter with her items.

"_Why_ would you move here?", the girl continued.

"I'm a doctor," Scully answered, as if that were explanation enough.

"The nearest hospital is an hour away," the girl said.

"I know. Our Lady of Sorrows," Scully answered.

"I was thinking the County hospital," she spoke.

"Our Lady of Sorrows?", another cashier said. "That's a cath-o-lic hospital," she said, with a thick Virginian accent.

"That's right," Scully said, noticing them stare at her cross necklace.

"Cath-o-lics!", a woman huffed standing in line behind her.

Scully licked her lips, her face becoming stoic. She was aware from traveling the country with Mulder in the X-files and from the years she'd gone into hiding with him that there was as many bigots who hated Catholics as there were Jews. She looked at the cashier who was adding up her purchases. "What is your name?", the girl asked curiously.

Scully looked around her nervously. She knew she couldn't lie even if she wanted too. "Dr. Dana Scully."

"Well, welcome, Dr. Scully," the girl said, warmly. "There's no movie theatres, no museums or fun things to do what-so-ever," she complained. "We have to drive to town for all that," she said, referring to to the larger city where Scully would be working.

"Well, I will be working in town so I'll have to check things out," Scully said, cautiously, a fake smile plastered on her lips.

"See you the next time," the girl smiled. "Once people get used to seeing you they won't stare as much," she said of her fellow townsfolk.

She filled Scully's grocery cart with bags and Scully saw an older man looking at her curiously. "You at the old Peterson's house? That house was sold years ago but no one ever moved in. I saw some man working out in the yard on my way here," he said. "I stopped my car and watched him cause I've never seen him before. He had no shirt on, cutting down the weeds at that place. Ain't no one lived there for years."

Scully again looked put upon. "Yes, we bought it years ago and we're now moving in."

She could see them glance quickly at her finger for a wedding ring. She said nothing as she pushed her cart out of the store fast. She moved on to the second-hand store but was greeted by a man who had watched her from the moment she pulled in. "Well," he said, looking her from head to toe. "How can I help _you_?"

Scully moved past him to the inside of the shop. She was aware that he was still looking at her leeringly and it made her nervous. "I...ah...need a table and chairs. You have any?"

"Sure," he said, heading in one direction.

She followed behind him and he pointed at several used tables that were in very good condition, she noticed. "How much for that one?", she asked, pointing to a small round table.

"Thirty for everything."

"What about delivery?", she asked.

He smoothed his hand over his brown hair, watching her carefully, sizing her up. He was a handsome man, she noticed but his constant eying of her body made her uneasy.

"Where do you live?"

She was hesitant in answering. "About a mile away, up Three Forks rd."

He nodded. "Ten bucks for delivery."

She pulled out the money and paid him and he smiled, as she nervously stepped back from him. "I'll load it up and follow you home."

Scully turned and walked to her car. She watched as he loaded his truck and she pulled out in front of him. He followed behind her and she dialed Mulder's cell but he hadn't picked up. "Pick up, damn it!", she said.

She turned and drove up to the front of the house and then he began to unload his truck.

"I can bring it in for you," he smiled, wickedly.

"No thanks," Scully said.

"No, it's no problem," he said, with a hint in is eye that made her even more uneasy.

Suddenly, Mulder was standing behind the man, a rake in his hand. He tossed it down and grabbed the chair from the shop owners hand. "I'll take care of it."

The shop owner's face fell and he stepped away from Scully. He looked frightened as he noticed Mulder's muscular chest and presence. "Okay, well, if you need anything else, just let me know."

"Okay," Mulder answered with narrowed eyes.

They watched as the man guiltily jumped in his truck and drove away. Mulder turned to Scully and could see that she looked relieved that he had come from the yard. "I thought you were in your office cleaning up."

"There's no desk or anything in there so it's not the most comfortable place to hang out at yet. But, I'm glad I wasn't in there," he said.

"I can handle myself," she said, reminding him of her former role as his FBI partner, though she was grateful he had appeared when he had.

"I know that," he said. "But I don't want you to. "

"You bring in the table and chairs and I bring in the groceries?", she said.

"Deal," he said, grabbing up the small table and bringing it up the steps.

She watched him from behind and sighed. "Where the hell did you move us too, Mulder?", she said, under her breath.

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	9. Chapter 9

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 9**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: Pre-IWTB**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

Scully made her way through the cafeteria line. She smiled at a few nuns as they passed her by. She turned back to the choices she had for lunch. None of them looked appealing. She grabbed a salad, a yogurt and a water, paid for it and then retreated to 'her' table, off away from all the gossip and chatter. She sat in the far corner with her files spread out before her. She was always so focused while other doctors and nurses welcomed a break from their work, she brought it with her nearly everywhere.

It had been a hard road to the position she now had. She had worked her way through Our Lady of Sorrows taking every position from pathologist to emergency physician and now she had been recommended to her current position as Pediatric Surgeon. Her credentials as a Former FBI Agent, FBI Pathologist and her ability to jump into other roles and disciplines made her an asset at Our Lady but she found that her new position also haunted her. She was now working with sick children and she couldn't help but see her own children in their eyes. It was bothering her more than she would tell anyone, including Mulder, though she suspected that he knew. He usually knew what she was feeling and why. Whenever she looked at a sick child, she saw Emily laying on her death-bed and she hadn't realized this new position would affect her this much.

She stared at the file in front of her, a three-year old little girl who had blond hair and blue eyes who was dying of a rare blood disease and though there was no evidence that she was a hybrid, Scully couldn't help check her for everything. The lab was complaining that she was ordering expensive redundant tests but she had to be sure that this child was dying of complications of 'normal' Hereditary Spherocytosis, a rare red blood disorder passed down from parents to child.

Scully gasped when a tray appeared from behind her and was laid on top of her notes. She recognized the hand and was even more startled to see it. "What are you doing here?", she whispered. "Mulder?"

When she looked up to him he planted a heavy kiss on her lips. She smiled and then turned red as she noticed that they were being watched by her colleagues, she was sure who wondered if she were single or perhaps gay or even lonely. She never went into details, always avoiding the subject though she was sure that some knew about him from her phone calls and his to her. She would often blush when on the phone with him and would say, "Love you," or "Mulder", so she knew some had an idea but for the rest, she was a mystery even after nearly three years at Our Lady.

"I thought I'd surprise you," he said, with a goofy smile.

She couldn't help but smile back. Her hand went to his as he seated himself across from her. She spotted the hamburger and fries on his tray and sighed. "You burned another pot?"

"No," he said, carefully moving her papers out of his way. "I just couldn't stand it. I needed to get out of the house."

"Mulder, that's not really wise," she whispered.

"Scully," he said, as he unzipped his jacket. "I've been locked away for longer than I care to think about. I miss having lunch with you," he said, smiling. "I promise I won't risk being seen again but I just needed out. Those walls were starting to close in."

She reached out and brushed her finger against his cheek. "I miss this too."

"You've worked so hard for so long, it feels lonely sometimes," he said sadly. "You think now with you being Pediatric Surgeon, you'll have a little more time?"

Scully sighed loudly and Mulder raised an eyebrow. "Thats a no, huh? So, should I start interviewing red heads to take your place?"

Scully giggled as she took her very first bite of her lunch. "If I found some other woman in my bed, something would be getting cut off. I am a surgeon, Mulder."

She watched as his face contorted. She laughed and Mulder smiled, enjoying watching her smile. "How is this new position?", he asked.

"Its fine," she said, dropping her head low.

Mulder put down his burger and wiped his hands on a napkin. "Scully, what is it?"

She glanced up and locked eyes with his. "It's the kids..."

"Ah!", he said. "Are you sure you want to accept it? I mean, you could do something else."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I have too. I love working with them. But it isn't easy."

Mulder spotted the photo of the child she was reading up on. "Is this bringing up Emily."

She looked around them trying to see if others were listening to their conversation. "Emily and William," she answered finally.

He stared at her for a moment. "What do you need?"

She felt her heart leap. "You are the sweetest man in the world, Mulder," she said, reaching out her hand to touch him again. "You're always concerned about what I need."

"I love you," he said, simply. "Of course I'm concerned."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I need...to get over it...to face it."

He nodded. "What do you want me to do?," he said, leaning over so closely they're faces were inches a part.

"Just love me," she smiled.

"Thats the easily thing I could ever do," he sighed. "No effort required."

She smiled and then noticed that they were still being watched. She stood up on her toes and met him half way over their food and placed her hand in back of his head and kissed him quickly. "I love you. "

"I know," he smiled. "And no matter how many times I hear it, it still surprises me."

"Why?", she said, stunned.

"Because its hard for me to understand why..."

She shook her head. "Mulder, you know why."

She could see he was still unconvinced. "I'll tell you when I get home tonight," she said, with promise in her voice.

He smirked. "And you'll show me?"

She smiled shyly and then turned back to her salad. He loved it when she was shy even after all these years and so he finished off his own meal. "Not as good as the local fast food joint but it will do."

She chuckled and then glanced at her watch. "I've got to get back to work."

Mulder gathered and put away their trays as she grabbed up her paperwork. Mulder kissed the top of her forehead and smoothed his hand over her strawberry blond hair which was fading showing her true reddish roots. He tipped her head to him and kissed her lips. "See you when you get home."

"Okay," she said, breathless.

He watched as she walked away and then turned to walk past her colleagues who had watched them as closely as if they were the newest soap-opera. He felt exposed and out of place with his thick shaggy beard and simple coat. He nodded to no one in particular and then walked on out the door.

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	10. Chapter 10

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 10**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: IWTB**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

Scully scrubbed her hands and then helped aid the EMT's after she'd sewn up the woman known only as Cheryl. Scully had asked her name and had been rewarded with the woman's frozen reply as she'd sewn up Cheryl's sliced neck, saving her life. She'd watched as the police and FBI had swarmed, arresting the Russian Doctors and Nurses who had perform such an odd surgery, all for one man who felt that if he'd replaced his body, he could live forever. His husband had been arrested as well, and the FBI had cordoned off the area where Mulder had been found in hopes of identifying the mutulated corpses that were left exposed in the snow before being chopped up into pieces.

Once Scully's duty as a doctor was done, she began to search through the chaos for Mulder. She found him strapped to a gurney in an ambulance like an unclaimed John Doe. She touched his face and he opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. She said nothing, removing her hand quickly as she sat next to him. The attending EMT had patched his cuts and connected an IV to his hand. He was still numb and unmoving and his heart was racing. She listened to the EMT's as they fussed over him. She stared at him, and noticed how quiet he was. She was wondering if he regretted putting himself in danger or if he even cared how she was feeling nearly losing him. Was he too stunned from coming so close to death, once again or did he not care at all, she wasn't sure. The EMT, an African-American man, finally focused on her and she could see from his expression that he was wondering what her relationship was to Mulder. She placed her hand on Mulder's forearm, and the EMT got the message.

"He is still suffering from the effects of the tranquilizer he was given. The numbness may take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to wear off still. It depends, this was an animal tranquilizer and so I'm not sure the effect on a human being. You can ask the doctors when we get to the hospital. We're gonna fly him into the local hospital here in Richmond."

"I want him flown into my hospital. I'm a doctor. I want him at Our Lady of Sorrows."

The EMT looked baffled. "I've never heard of it."

Scully licked her lips. "Its in Virginia."

The EMT laughed. "This is West Virginia, ma'am."

Scully crossed her arms. "I know that."

"We can't go anywhere but to the Richmond area, that's all."

Scully climbed out of the Ambulance. She glanced at Mulder and then back to the EMT. "I know that, I'm a doctor. I'm his doctor as a matter of fact, " she said. "And I want him at my hospital."

"I understand you want your...husband?", the man asked. "Where you work but we aren't allowed to fly someone out of the state, ma'am."

Scully swallowed. "We're not married," she said. "I will talk to A.D. Skinner and have the FBI fly him out," she said, turning from them and walking off.

The guy shook his head and turned towards Mulder. "Your lady is a spit-fire!"

"Don't I know it," Mulder sighed.

"Is she always like this?", he said, as he checked Mulder's IV line.

"Yeah," Mulder smiled. "She's mad at me right now. We're not exactly...talking right now."

"And I guess going and getting your head almost chopped off isn't helping the situation, is it?"

Mulder grew quiet. The EMT noticed his quietness and decided to leave him to rest. He closed the door of the Ambulance, leaving Mulder to the artificially lit interior, alone.

Scully searched through the crowds of people as the sun was rising. The local newspapers and TV stations had arrived and were snapping photos of anyone they thought were important. Scully spotted Skinner's bald head and approached him. He was talking to another FBI Agent, probably explaining how he'd discovered the crime scene, she surmised. When he saw her he nodded and gestured for her to come to him. She walked over and he excused himself from the other agent and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "How's he doing."

"He's still numb," she sighed. "Sir, I want him flown to my hospital but the local Ambulance's won't allow it."

Skinner looked at her. She was avoiding his eyes and he knew that she was asking too much. "You want him at your hospital or at home?", he said.

Scully focused on him then. "Our Lady. He still needs to be monitored."

"He'll be okay," he said, quietly.

"Its been a few hours," she gulped. "He still can't feel his legs..."

She could see his chest heave and then he let out the air from his lungs. "I'm coming with you," he said.

"What about your car?"

"It's a rental," he said, pulling out his phone. "Ah, yes, this is A.D. Skinner. I want a chopper here to transport myself, and two passengers to a hospital in Virginia."

She listened intently. He could tell she was stressed. He hung up the phone. "Where is he?"

"Follow me," she said.

They moved past the FBI, local detectives and coroner workers to the rows of ambulances. Scully asked the EMT where Mulder was and they pointed to the truck. Skinner explained that they would have to transfer Mulder to the chopper when it arrived. They heard the chopper before they saw it and felt it as the wind whipped around. The chopper landed a little too close to the fence-line, Scully thought but she walked with the EMT and Skinner as they loaded Mulder on the chopper. She sat next to Mulder and he locked eyes with her. She could tell that he needed to feel her touch and though they were still strained, she reached out and touched his cheek. He closed his eyes at her touch and then opened them, again locking eyes with her. She glanced away and Mulder recognized the hurt he had caused her, again. He looked at Skinner and his face was blank as usual. The helicopter took off and Mulder lay back, numbly as they began the long transport from Richmond to Our Lady.

When they arrived, Scully had donned her doctor's coat and had checked Mulder in. She was attending to him even though she was normally in Pediatrics. She chatted with the doctor assigned to him. He recognized Mulder and knew that they were a couple. He told her he'd take good care of him. Mulder though had begun to feel his legs and toes as the animal tranquilizer began to wear off. "I can feel my feet," Mulder spoke.

Scully's eyes widened and she looked at her colleague and then to Mulder. She walked over to his side and placed her hand on his leg. "Can you feel that?"

"Yeah," he said.

"He should be able to walk in about an hour," the doctor said.

"Good, I'm not liking being in the hospital, " he complained.

Scully shook her head. "Thanks doctor. I'm glad it's finally wearing off."

"No problem," the doctor said, walking out the door.

Scully turned to Mulder and observed him for a few moments, not speaking. He pursed his lips to speak. "Say something, Scully. Scream at me, beat me up, say something."

Scully was motionless as she gazed at him, her heart battered and bruised. He swallowed hard and watched as she turned and walked out the door, leaving him to himself.

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	11. Chapter 11

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 11**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: POST- IWTB**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

Mulder kept his hand on Scully's back as she swayed slightly as they stood listening to the priest as he recited the Funeral Rites. Mulder was concerned about her as they stood a distance from Christian's family who were mourning his lost. His mother was crying uncontrollably as her husband tried to console her. Tears were streaking Scully's face. She wore her hair pulled back in a pony tail and kept wiping her tears with a tissue. She felt responsible for his death, a boy that she felt a strong connection too throughout the years after attempting to extend his life by using the controversal stem-cell therapy. Scully had children die on her before as a physician and as a FBI Agent but there was a connection with Christian that Mulder hadn't understood himself.

Scully had saved Christians life for a time but the Hospital board at Our Lady of Sorrows had determined that her experimental procedures were costing the hospital more than they felt the hospital could afford. Even after she had offered her own take home pay to fund it, they had refused. Christian was removed from his treatments and sent to Hospice, much to Scully's fear. She visited him daily until he died just a few days before. His parents were present and she had remained stoic in front of his family until she made it home and went immediately to Mulder's open arms and cried. And she hadn't stopped crying, he had noticed. She had taken off a few days from work to mourn Christians loss and he was worried because he'd never seen her react this way, ever, not even with her father and sister's death.

Scully, _HIS_ Scully, had become clingy and unresponsive. He'd been through hell and back with her and had never seen her so weaken. She kept repeating that she had 'lost him' and Mulder figured it was because she had substituted Christian for William in her mind. The psychologist in him knew that she was mourning just as deeply as she would if William had died and what worried her, he knew, was the fact that they had no clue of William's whereabouts. Mulder surmised that Christian gave Scully the hope and strength she needed to work with children on a daily basis and hold herself together.

As the funeral ended, she glanced up to Mulder, needing him, needing his strength. He bent down and kissed her hairline. "Come on, let's go...", he said, tightening his grip around her waist and leading her away.

"Dr. Scully!", a voice rang out.

She turned around and saw Christian's parents walking up to her. His mother was being held up by his father just as Mulder was holding up Scully. When they reached her, Scully stiffened, expecting to be chewed out by the distraught woman but instead, she hugged her tightly. "Thank You for trying to save my son."

Scully bent her head down low as tears trailed down her cheeks. Mulder nodded to them both. "So sorry for your lost."

They nodded back. "I want you to know," his mother continued. "That I know how hard you tried to keep Christian alive. It's not your fault. It was God's wish," she said, breaking down into tears. Her husband pulled her away, heading off towards the cars.

Scully was silent the ride home. Mulder watched her out of the corner of his eye. She hadn't moved, she just stared at the passing scenery. When they arrived home, she let Mulder unlock the gate and drive up to their home and open her door. He extended his hand and she grabbed it but her gaze was elsewhere. He guided her up the stairs, holding on to her hand tightly as she walked behind him. When they entered their home, she stood in the doorway, staring around as if she had never seen it before. "Scully?", Mulder said. "SCULLY?"

Finally she turned to look at him. "Yes?", she said, weakly.

"You've got to snap out of it! You're walking around like a zombie."

She took off her coat, letting it fall to the ground and then headed towards their bedroom. Mulder quickly hung it up and then followed her. She let the water fill up the bathtub and chose a fragrance, one of many in her collection. She poured the one she liked into it and watched as it bubbled up. Mulder stared at her, feeling helpless as she stripped out of her clothes and sunk down into the tub. He walked over and knelt down next to her, ignoring the wetness from the floor that was soaking into his own clothes. "I love you, Scully. You did everything you could. It wasn't your fault."

"Mulder, let me feel what I feel," she said, quietly.

"As long as you come back to me, Scully."

She turned slowly and looked at him, her eyes distant and empty. She didn't speak which made Mulder even more concerned. "Okay, I'm calling your mother," he said, standing up and pulling out his cell phone.

Scully still hadn't responded but was listening as he got ahold of her. "Mrs. Scully?"

"Fox? What's wrong?"

Mulder explained to her what had happened and she too was surprised at her daughter's uncharacteristic reaction. She asked to speak to her daughter. Mulder placed the phone up to her ear and the minute Scully heard her mother's usual, "Dana, it's me...It's mom," she started to cry.

"Mom," was all Scully said.

"I'm on my way," Maggie said.

Mulder put the phone back up to his own ear. "Mrs. Scully..."

"I drive a little slower than I used too, but I'll be there in a few hours."

"Okay," Mulder said, looking back at Scully as her tears mixed with her bubble bath. "I'll fix up the Guest room for you."

"Once I leave, I can't turn around and go back home, it's too long of a drive for me."

"I understand," Mulder said. "No, I think she needs you. I'm not much of a comfort to her right now."

"Okay, I'll pack a few things and I'm on my way."

"Alright, see you when you get here," he said, hanging up.

He looked at Scully and she had her head turned away from him. "Help is coming, honey. She'll be here soon."

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	12. Chapter 12

**What The Future Holds**

**Part 12**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: January 2012**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

Scully stared at the letter in her hand suspiciously. With no return address, a red flag went up in her having been trained as a FBI Agent and by Mulder to be paranoid. She turned from the mailbox and took the letter straight to Mulder's office. "Mulder...", was all she needed to say.

Mulder stood up and grabbed the letter out of her hand. He then put on a pair of gloves, an old habit from their FBI days and moved the letter under his desk-lamp. He slowly opened it with Scully by his side. He retrieved the letter within it and looked at it curiously. It was written in simple script and he began to read the letter. "**Are you Dana Katherane Scully**?", he read, noticing her middle name was misspelled. "**I think you're my real mother**."

Scully gasped and snatched the letter out of Mulder's gloved hands. "**My name is William Van De Kamp and I keep seeing this address in my dreams**."

Scully looked at Mulder and he was in shock as well. "Keep reading," he said, finally.

"**If you are my mother, I want to find you. I think you know why. My mom showed me my brith cretificate****," **she read, ignoring the misspelling**. "**** I hope you want to know me. I hope you will help me because I'm afraid and I know my mom and dad can't help me. Please come get me. I live in Wyoming. "**

Scully stared at Mulder in disbelief. "Mulder?"

He wrapped his arms around her as she cried tears of joy into his shoulder. "Our son, Mulder. He found us!"

Mulder smiled with her. His heart suddenly racing. "Let's gas up and get going!"

There was a 30 hour drive from Virginia to Wyoming and so they decided to fly instead. They packed their luggage and purchased plane tickets on their cell phones. Scully had called off from work, and they headed off to search for their son. As Mulder drove, Scully tried to search for the name Van De Kamp but had no such luck. She then picked up the phone and dialed the one person left she knew could help, Walter Skinner. They drove four hours to D.C. where they met Walter Skinner at Reagan Airport.

Skinner was standing at the gate, his long black trench coat identifying him as law enforcement without him saying a word. Scully hugged him the moment she saw him and Mulder shook his hand. Skinner handed them a piece of paper. "There's a Tom and Francine Van de Kamp living outside of Laramie, Wyoming," he said, staring at them both. "They adopted a boy named William who is now eleven years old and according to the sealed records," he paused. "Which I had a hard time accessing, he is your son," he said, looking at Scully.

She closed her eyes and shook her head as if she couldn't believe her deepest wish was coming true. She opened them and smiled at both Mulder and Skinner. "Thank You sir. I can't believe it's happening, can you Mulder?"

He placed his arm around her waist, drawing her closer to him. "No. I can't."

"What will you say to his adoptive parents?", Skinner questioned.

Both Scully and Mulder glanced at each other. "I don't think we even thought about that yet," Mulder answered.

"Well, you'll need to think about that," he said. "Look if you need anything else. Let me know. I'll extend every resource to you."

"Thanks Walter," Mulder said, again shaking his hand.

"Alright, I have to get back to work," Skinner said, walking off.

Scully and Mulder arrived in Wyoming and rented a car. They had the address they needed and they nervously drove out of Laramie to the countryside. Mulder watched Scully out the corner of her eye. She kept smoothing her coat down and looking at herself in the mirror. Occasionally, she would glance at him, as if she were determining whether he was dressed appropriately or not and Mulder knew she was extremely nervous. Scully kept her emotions close to her vest normally but in this instance, she was shaky and apprehensive. He reached out his hand to steady hers and could see she was grateful. "Are you okay?'

She looked at him with searing blue eyes. "I couldn't be more scared than I am now."

"What are you afraid of? He knows about you. He wants you to see him."

"But what if they don't?", she sighed. "What if we show up and they slam a door in our faces."

"Then we follow them to the grocery store and approach them there."

Scully rolled her eyes. "And so we'd get arrested for following them and harassing them, is that it?"

"I dunno," he said, his lip growing tighter. "We really don't have the right to see him right now."

Scully frowned and then she turned to him startling him. "Mulder...We do have grounds!"

"And what is that?", he jumped.

"Mulder...", she said, in realization. "_**You**_, never consented to give up your rights."

Mulder slammed on the brakes. Fortunately there was no other traffic on the road. He looked at Scully, a smile on his face. "We can get him back, Scully. We can!"

The house was cute, Scully noted. She swallowed her fears and with Mulder by her side, she knocked on the front door of the Van De Kamp home. An older brown-haired woman opened the door. "Yes?", she said, looking at the two.

Scully grew even quieter and nervous as she stared at the woman who'd raised their son. "I...I'm Dana Scully," she said, barely audible.

The woman stared from Mulder back to Scully, studying her features. Her eyes grew wide and then she yelled back behind her to her husband. "TOM!"

A man appeared in the doorway along his wife. "Yeah?"

"This is Dana Scully," she said, looking at her husband.

He eyed his wife as if he were trying to recognize the name.

"Could we come in?", Scully asked.

Tom nodded though he was still confused. They sat down on the sofa in front of the couple. Scully and Mulder both gasped as they looked at the family photos displaying their son. William had dark auburn hair and clearly still favored Scully with sparkling blue eyes and her skin tone. Mulder wrapped his arm around Scully's shoulder and drew her in. Tom watched them curiously and then it donned on him who they were. "You're William's birth parents?", he said, shocked.

Scully licked her lips. "Yes, we are."

"What are you doing here?", Tom said, his voice rising. "What do you want?"

Mulder spoke. "We got a letter in the mail from William."

Scully showed him the letter they were sent. Tom handed it back. "How did you find us if you had no address."

"We're former FBI Agents, " Mulder answered. "We have connections."

"So why now?", Francine questioned. "You gave him up!"

Mulder looked at Scully and could see the agony in her shoulders. "I gave him up to protect him," Scully said, as tears formed in her eyes.

"And I didn't give him up," Mulder said.

Tom and Francine looked at each other. "So, are you saying that you, the father, never gave up your rights to William?"

"That's right," Mulder answered.

The side door opened and a ten-year old boy walked in. Scully stood up and walked up to him. He stared at her with the same intensity that she stared back back at him. Mulder watched at the edge of his seat, ready to be at her side if she needed it.

"You're my mother," William said.

"Yes," Scully said, shaking her head.

William looked at his adoptive parents and then walked closely up to Scully. She opened her arms to him and he wrapped his small arms around her tiny waist. Scully began to cry, and Mulder dropped his head, as his own tears began to fall. William moved out of her arms and stared at her, reading her. He looked over to Mulder and then with Scully's hand in his, he walked over to Mulder. "You're my father, aren't you?"

Mulder stood up and hugged his son, he cried silently. The Van De Kamps looked alarmed. "You can't just come in here," Tom began.

William turned to his adoptive parents. "Mom and Dad, I'm sorry for contacting them but I know you can't help me now."

"Help you?", Francine questioned. "Billy, " she said, using her nickname for William. "We're your parents, we love you. You don't need...", she said, stopping mid-sentence.

Mulder and Scully looked at each other.

William with his dark reddish-brown hair and blue blazing eyes looked at his adoptive parents. "I need their help. You can't understand why."

"No, we need to know why," Tom said, agitated.

William looked back at his parents and then to his adoptive parents. He pointed up and swirled his finger and all of the photos in the living room began to move around the room like a whirlwind. His adoptive parents were frightened and huddled together while Mulder and Scully stood there, unmoving and undisturbed by what they were witnessing. William put his hand down and all the photos crashed to the floor.

"OH MY GOD!", they screamed. "What the hell was that?", they yelled.

"I'm special," William answered. "And I need their help. I need to go with them."

"No," Tom said, firmly. "They have no legal right to you."

"I could get a lawyer and we could fight it," Mulder said. "I would win because I never signed over my rights."

"But she did!", they said, pointing to Scully.

"And that's because people were trying to kill our son," Mulder said. "And she did what was right for him. I supported her decision," he said.

"Did you know she was giving William up?", Tom questioned.

"No," Scully answered for him. "He was gone. There was someone trying to kill him. The same people who wanted to kill William."

The Van De Kamps looked alarmed. "What is this, some payback for being FBI Agents or something?"

"Something like that," Mulder answered.

"And this is the life that you think Billy should be exposed too?", Francine asked.

Scully raised an eyebrow. "I'm a doctor. I work at Our Lady of Sorrows as a Pediatric Physician. Mulder and I live in a house on six acres of land. We have a quiet life."

"That doesn't mean he should come live back with you. He doesn't know you."

"They're my parents," William said. "I do know them. I've always known them," he said. "No one else could understand me."

"Billy," Francine said. "We can understand you."

William shook his head. He opened up his arms and the ground began to shake. Francine and Tom fell over while Mulder and Scully still stood their ground. Again knick-knacks and other items fell off the shelf. They looked terrified. "Billy, you did that?"

"Yes," he said. "I can do a lot more if I wanted too."

Francine looked at Tom and he shook his head. "What the hell is he?", he said, screaming at both Mulder and Scully.

"He's special...", Scully answered. "He's our son."

"Well, he isn't like this because of us."

"No," Mulder said, aggravated. "It's because of us."

"I feel cheated!", Tom said. "He's defective!"

"TOM!:, Francine screamed. "Don't say that!"

"It's true!", he said, looking at their home with broken dishes and knick-knacks littering their once cleaned home. "How the hell did we not see this before?"

"I didn't want you to see it then," William answered.

Scully placed an arm around his small shoulders. "Are you okay, William?"

He looked up into her kind eyes and smiled. "I'm okay."

"Take him!", Tom said, turning from them. Francine screamed, "NO! NO!", she said, grabbing her husband's arm. "He's our son!"

He snatched his arm from her. "NO, he's their son!", he said, walking out of sight.

Francine turned and stared at both Mulder and Scully in disbelief. She cried into her hands. "I wish you had never come!", she screamed. "Now I have no son. I have nothing!", she said, turning away. They watched as she ran up the stairs, out of sight.

William turned to his real parents. "I'm sorry," he said, looking at them both. "I had to show them. They would've never let me leave," he said.

Mulder placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Let's go, son."

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	13. Chapter 13

**What The Future Holds**

_**Part 13**_

**(Part 1 of 3)**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: December 19th, 2012**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

John Doggett was staring out the window, a shot-gun pointed out at the field of Mulder and Scully's Unremarkable House. He could hear the news playing as Maggie held William in her arms. Skinner was guarding the back door, with Monica Reyes guarding the guest bedroom. Mulder was guarding the front door and Scully was guarding Mulder's office. The newscasters voice blasted out for all to hear in every room where a television set lay. It was a devastating time in the world.

There was so much destruction that the newscasters could not keep up. There'd been earthquakes in every nation on earth with flooding that had wiped out nearly all coastal cities including New York, New Orleans, most of Florida and most coastal cities like San Diego where Bill, Tara and Matthew lived. Charles was reassigned to Japan and Scully hadn't heard from him, assuming that they too had perished from the waters nearly covering most of Japan. The world was in turmoil with flash floods, volcanoes erupting, and death in innumerable amounts. William was staring at the screen but his mind was flashing images second by second of things unseen. He saw a mass of dead bodies bloating and decaying along the side of the roads. He saw young children drowning at the ceiling of their homes, he saw images of people who were starving to death, and he saw animals rotting in their pens and fields.

Scully could feel her son even though he was in another room. She felt him strongly and she walked out of Mulder's office and looked at William. He raced into her arms as if he'd always been there. "I see too much," he said, as tears clouded his beautiful blue eyes.

Scully rubbed his back and shot a look at Maggie who looked helpless. "Mom, maybe we should turn the tv to something else."

"There isn't anything else on tv," Mrs. Scully answered. "It's on every channel."

"It's not the tv," William said, in Scully's arms. "It's what I see in my head."

Scully touched his face. "What do you see William?"

"Death," he said. "They're talking to me."

"What are they saying?", she said, her hand on his small chin.

"They're saying I'm one of them. Come home to them."

"Don't believe it, William," she said, rubbing her finger against his delicate cheek. "You belong to me and daddy. Not them."

"I know," William said. "The pull is great..."

"Our pull is greater," she said.

William nodded and returned to his grandmother's arms. Scully looked at Mulder who was guarding the front door and had watched the interaction between them. "I think its time we moved to the spot, Scully. We can't defend ourselves here. We're too open, too exposed."

"I agree," she said.

"It's already fully stocked with food and weapons."

"Where is it?", Maggie questioned.

"The rock quarry is just about two miles away."

"The rock quarry?", Maggie said, disbelievingly. "Why the rock quarry?'"

"According to...", Mulder began, thinking about CGB. "Someone who is long dead...It's the Magnetite. It kills the Super Soldiers and it can bring down UFO's."

"It can, we've seen it," Doggett said. "Damnedest thing I ever saw."

"And you're sure the nearest quarry has Magnetite?", Skinner questioned.

Mulder shot a look at Scully and then nodded. "Its one of the reasons we moved here. The Gunmen purchased the house for me years ago but I have a few properties all over in case we ever needed it," Mulder spoke. "But this was the only one near a stone-quarry."

"A legally accessable stone-quarry," Scully added.

William suddenly jumped up and pointed out the window. "The Super Soldiers!"

Everyone turned to look out the window and they can see a group of people standing outside of their gate, across the road.

"Oh god!", Monica said.

"Don't be afraid!", William spoke. "It's not time. They're just watching. They can't harm us now."

"Why not?", Maggie asked, frightened.

"It's two days before the date," William said, turning around to look into Maggie's dark eyes. "They're just watching but they can't act, not yet."

"It's already bad out there," Maggie said, as she twirled a rosary around in her fingers.

"It's going to get worst," William said.

Scully looked back at Mulder. "When do you want to move over there, then?"

"I don't know but we can't stay here for long. We're too open."

"The roads are full of empty cars," Monica Reyes spoke.

"I'll move them out of our way," William added.

Mulder nodded. "We have a van. Let's pack it up."

Everyone began to grab blankets, water, food, and guns. Doggett, Skinner and Mulder stood guard around the van as the women loaded it up. William sat in the center of the van with his grandmother who wrapped her in his arms. Scully sat on the other side of her son, her gun pointed and ready. Mulder hopped into the driver's seat and Monica, John and Skinner all jumped into the back. He sped off down to the gate. John and Skinner pointed their guns at the Super Soldiers who were standing on the other side of the road, staring, unmoving. A few cars lined the road but William stretched out his hand and the cars vanished. After Mulder unlatched the gate. He stared at the face he recognized among the Super Soldiers...Billy Miles. Skinner looked at Mulder and then Doggett and they all stared at him. He looked unchanged and unaged, staring out at them as if he were an apparition. Finally, Mulder turned away and they hopped back into the van and sped off down the now empty road.

William could see fear in his mother's eyes and he touched her arm. "It's okay, mom. We won't fail."

She kissed the top of her son's reddish head. "No we won't. We won't give up, William. Ever."

They continued on until they reached the abandoned rock quarry. There was a steel-door leading to a tunnel that had been dug out of the center. Mulder unlocked it and turned on the crude string-lights which lead down a long corridor, with a secondary door with lead to the living quarters with several dead bolts and latches from the inside.

"What is this?", Maggie questioned.

"Mulder and the guys have worked hard for over a year building this," Scully explained. "Mulder purchased this portion of the quarry. He poured all of our savings into it, having a few locals drill into the solid rock, stabilize it, put up drywall, funnel out air ducts and create fireplaces. They created a living space for us all and bathrooms that drain down into the ground. Its our new home for a while."

There was a large living space with a fireplace with a spit that doubled as a cooking area. In the living area there was a couch and a few chairs and a dining room table. Also in the living room, there was a back door with a steel-door and latch served as they're escape route. It also served as an arsenal with several gun racks and bullets ready for use. She switch on the string-lights to the room that would be her and Mulder's room. There was a large bed and a twin bed on the side for William and a bathroom with unflushable toilets where the waste dropped down into the ground below. Scully motioned for William to put his belongings in the room with his parents.

Another bedroom and bath was where John and Monica would be sleeping. A Third bedroom with bath would have to serve as both Maggie's and Skinner's bedroom. Scully sheepishly led her mother into the bedroom with two full-sized beds. Maggie gave her the 'eye'. "I'm sharing with Skinner, a man I'm not married too?"

Scully licked her lips. "It's a crises mom. Please understand."

Maggie wrapped her arms around her daughter. "You're right."

Skinner walked in with his luggage and he looked at Maggie and Scully and blushed. Scully's eyebrows raised. She had never seen Walter Skinner blush before. "Sir, you'll keep my mother safe, won't you?"

Skinner again looked at Maggie, his eyes lingering on her a little longer than it should. "I sure will," he said, nervously glancing down.

Maggie's eyebrows as well as Scully's raised high. Scully hurried out of the room, leaving her mother and Skinner to unpack. Scully walked in to where they had created a kitchen with a huge food storage with large family sized cans of dehydrated meat, vegetables and fruits, water storage and other supplies like candles, matches and wood. They had built an air-duct system and a fire pit in the kitchen modeled after colonial days for cooking food by fire. Scully had sampled the M.R.E's and dried foods. She hated the taste but knew they'd adjust eventually. She looked around, noticing the lack of a fridge and a large cutting board and storage space for the pots and pants. 5 gallon containers of water were stored in a pantry clearly marked for use. She walked back out to the living room space and could see that Mulder, Doggett and Skinner were switching on the camera's they had installed over the entire quarry.

William was sitting on the couch listening to the men's chatter as they argued over the angles of the camera. Suddenly, he could feel his body tense-up and he felt weight-less, paralyzed as he felt the earth rumble though he could see he was the only one feeling it. He could feel _Them_ as they came closer. "Ah...", he yelled out.

"What is it, son?", Mulder said, turning his attention to the eleven year old boy.

"They are great! They are massive," he said, starting to tremble.

Mulder picked up his son in his arm, holding him. "What is it, Will? What do you see?"

"They're coming...," the boy sighed. "And they want me!"

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	14. Chapter 14

**What The Future Holds**

_**Part 14**_

**(Part 2 of 3)**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: December 20th, 2012**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

The darkness and lack of privacy was bothering Mulder more than he cared to admit. In a moment of stress and crisis, his instinct was to 'connect' with Scully and find refuge within her arms. But having his son laying a few feet away, in the dark in an unfamiliar environment with the world falling apart outside their door, didn't put him in the mood. He laid wide awake listening to every sound made in their make-shift home, ready to defend it if need be. His gun was within reach and he could hear Scully breathing but he knew she wasn't asleep either. Like himself, her gun was within reach and she lay a small distance from him, closer to the nightstand where she could point and shoot quickly.

Mulder reached out and touched her back. She turned around and they held each other close. "Are you scared?", Mulder whispered.

She didn't answer, she didn't have to answer, he knew she was. "I'm scared too, Scully. All these years I knew this was coming but it's here and its real and I'm not sure I'm ready to face it."

Scully touched his cheek and kissed his chin. "I feel the same way, Mulder. But it is happening now. We do have to face it, no matter if we want too or not."

"So much time was lost," he whispered. "So many years we wasted. I don't want it to be over. If I could, I'd go back and live my life differently."

Scully sat up in the bed and looked at the outline of him in the dark. She could only see his hazel eyes. "What would you change?"

He held her closer and penned his forehead to hers. "I'd tell you I loved you that first year. I wanted you from the moment I saw you and I knew I was in love with you before they closed down the X-files the first time, our first year together. I would've spent my time with you. I would've been more concerned with having a relationship with you and not trying to chase after something so elusive as 'The Truth'," he paused, as his head slipped down to her shoulder. He could smell the sweet smell of her and feel the softness of her skin. "I would've dedicated myself to you, married you, maybe had a few more babies," he said, with regret. "Lived a normal life."

"Normal?", she said, surprised.

"In the dark, Scully,", he said, wetting her shoulder with his tears. "Not being here fighting the end with you and our son. I would rather be sitting at home with you both, making love to you and having him sleeping in his room dreaming about winning a soccer game. It's because of me that we're here. If I weren't so damn stupid and stuck on trying to prove to _everyone_ that aliens existed, we could be living our lives right now."

"And not know anything?", she said, holding him as tightly as she could.

"Ignorance is bliss, Scully."

"No," she said, pulling from him. "As much as I wanted more years with you Mulder and to have the same things you said, I would not want to be living in ignorance."

He touched her face and ran his fingers against it. "I'd give anything to have more time with you."

Scully dropped her head and then raised it up to him. "I do too. And I believe we still have more time."

"My stomach is in knots now. I just wish I could wake up and it would be all over. No...Not over. Never to happen," he said, sighing.

"Lay down, Mulder, get some sleep. I'll be by your side. I always will be."

Their kissed was desperate and lingering until they broke for air. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you."

"AHHHHHHHH!", William screamed.

Scully was up out of the bed in an instant, holding their son to her chest. "What is it, William? What is it?"

He refused to speak, only throwing his arm around her and burying his head into her neck. "What is it, William? Talk to me, tell me...what do you see?"

Scully brought him over to the bed and laid him down between them. William was instantly comforted as he laid in between his parents. Mulder placed a hand on his son's shoulder. Scully touched his face and kissed him on the nose. "Rest, William..."

She listened until he had fallen back to sleep and then she too fell asleep as well. Mulder finally closed his eyes when he knew his family was safe.

When the morning came, Scully helped her mother in the kitchen. She worked with her mother to make a quick meal of dehydrated oatmeal and reconstituted orange juice. It wasn't the best breakfast but it would have to do. The men, Mulder, Doggett and Skinner were watching the video camera's when they noticed Billy Miles walking towards their structure inside the rock quarry with a large amount of Super Soldiers trailing behind him. Billy came even closer to where they're hide-out was before stopping where he stood.

"What do we do?", Doggett questioned. "Do we shoot or do we just watch and see what they're doing?"

Like a robot that had run out of charge, Billy and the Super Soldier's just stood frozen in place. Mulder nervously watched the screens and that was when they noticed a shadow creep across the entire quarry.

"What is that?", Skinner questioned.

"I don't know," Mulder said, shifting the camera's up so he could see.

Monica gasped. "Oh my god..."

Suddenly, the ground began to quake and William stood up, his feet planted firmly on the floor, staring straight ahead of him. Scully looked at Mulder and he looked at William but then he stared back at the screen where a giant UFO hovered blocking out the light of the sun, casting the quarry, the Super Soldiers and everything they could see in utter darkness.

Scully was fearful as she stared in disbelief at the image on the screen. The UFO remained overhead with no movement. Like a television screen, William was receiving vivid visions in his mind. He saw the rest of humans left, falling over, boils covering their skin after being stung by bees. He saw humans breaking free of their old skin with a new skin underneath. He saw large wide alien eyes in his mind. They were telling him to join them. He waved his hand and he could see well beyond the wall of their shelter. He could see the Super Soldiers standing in a circle around their enclosure.

As if he were floating, he looked beyond the quarry and could see what was going on all around them at that very moment as smaller UFO's flew overhead of residential homes while groups of people stood outside watching in complete shock as the aliens flew in above their homes and businesses. Some were snapping photos while other's were screaming and shouting out in fear. William then focused on the UFO and the enormous length of the Mothership. It blotted out the sun as far as the eye could see. He felt a strong connection to the ship and suddenly without effort, he was inside of it.

Scully touched her son as he stared into nothingness. "Mulder? What's he doing?"

Mulder snapped his fingers in front of his son's face. "Will? You okay? Son? William?", he said, becoming alarmed.

"WILLIAM!", Scully screamed.

"It's okay," Mulder said, trying to calm her. "It's like he's in a trance...", he said, picking up the boy and laying him on the couch. "I think he's traveling."

"Traveling? How?", Monica questioned.

"He just is,", Mulder said.

William could see the Aliens and they could see him as if he were physically there. He could hear them speaking inside his head. "What do you want with me?", he asked.

He could hear the words, "You belong with us."

"I don't believe you," he said.

He heard nothing more. Suddenly, he was surrounded by seven-foot tall, grey beings. He stared at them without fear. "Why do you want to remove the humans?"

Again, he received no answer. He waved his hand and sat up on the couch, panting. He looked at his mother who was lovingly caring for him.

"What is it? William? What is it?"

"I don't know," he said. "They wouldn't tell me why they wanted all the humans to die."

"They know how powerful you are," she explained. "They want you to fight with them. They want all of us, all us humans to die, so they can take back the planet."

"They were behind all the natural disasters," William said, with maturity beyond his years. "They created the earthquakes and floods to thin out the population. They will poison the waters to kill off the fish, the animals and survivors. They will make chaos, so that we turn on each other and they can unleash their virus and remove us. Then they will come home."

"Its our home," Monica added.

"That's right, it's not theirs," John added.

"They were here first," William said.

"But we are here now and we must survive," Maggie stated to her grandson.

William nodded. "Okay. I just wanted you to know that they have us surrounded."

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	15. Chapter 15

**What The Future Holds**

_**Part 15**_

**(Part 3 of 3)**

**by Trycee**

**Time-Line: December 21st, 2012**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-fles, this is written for fun not profit.**

As the Super Soldiers neared the Magnetite area of their quarry, they started to spasm and shake. They're faces turned a black metal as they're entire bodies turned metallic and were drawn into the stone like a gun shooting off. As soon as one of them shot into the rock, another Super Soldier replaced them. Skinner determined that this was their strategy. The aliens were using the Super Soldiers to try to break down their structure. The walls were shaking as each Super Soldier shot into the stones, weakening it.

Maggie, Scully, William and Monica were all crouched together near the back escape door. Both Scully and Monica were armed, ready to shoot. Mulder and Skinner were positioned near the six-inch thick steel front door, watching out the window while Doggett viewed the surveillance screens. Every position he pointed the camera, he could see flames from where the alien ships had fired, burning whatever structures they could find. What he couldn't see was blocked by the mother-ship that was still overhead. Doggett looked back at the women and young William and he sighed. "It's already begun...", he said.

William could hear high-pitched shrieks of misery from all over the world in his mind and in his ears. He could see sky scrapers falling over and massive swarms of bees traveling across farm lands attacking humans and animals alike. He saw walls of water washing away people and towns with UFO's flying in front of the flood-waters, controlling their path of destruction. His trance was deep as he saw images in his mind. He turned and wrapped his arms around his mother's waist and Scully held him close. "All of the world, its dying...there isn't much left."

"We're still here," she said, as another load thump rocked their structure. "We're here..."

"They're trying to get in," William said. "They want you dead. They want me to join them."

"Don't join them," Scully said, holding her son tightly. "Daddy and I need you. We love you."

"I love you," William said, his blue eyes clouded with tears. "Mom. They want me to choose."

"I know," she said, with heartbreak in her eyes. "Please, honey, please...choose me and daddy."

William nodded. "I see them...", he began. "They will be awakening the ones underground...after they are sure all the humans are dead."

"Are they're a lot of survivors?", Scully wondered.

He shook his head no. "They're telling me, _'This is a mass extinction'."_

"That's right, William," Scully said. "They want to wipe out all of us."

"I have to stop them!", William said.

"Daddy and I and all of us will help keep you safe. You don't have to do it by yourself."

William didn't respond. He moved past them to where Doggett sat, staring at the screens until he saw something out of the ordinary and then he'd yell to Mulder and Skinner warning them. William looked at the Super Soldiers who were purposely sacrificing themselves in an attempt to weaken their structure and he could see Billy Miles standing in the midst of them. William concentrated on Billy Miles and as he did, Billy Miles stared up at the camera responding to William's glare. Billy Miles then walked up towards the Magnetite and unlike the other Super Soldiers, he did not spasm or shake. Billy climbed up over the rocks and smashed the cameras. "How is he able to do that?", Doggett said, looking at William.

William looked frightened as he watched the remainder of the cameras go static. Doggett grabbed his shot-gun and rounds and ran to the thickly protected steel front door where Mulder and Skinner were positioned looking out front the heavily protected window. "Billy Miles isn't like the other Super Soldiers. Magnetite doesn't affect him. We've got all these magnetite bullets and it's not gonna work."

Mulder could feel his stomach churn. Doggett could see that he was more than frightened by looking in his eyes though from the outside, he had a cool exterior.

"And our camera's are down."

Mulder turned to see Scully standing in the doorway. He walked past the men and wrapped himself in her arms. "Help me face this Scully," he said, holding her as she smoothed her hand over his massive back.

"I'm here," she said, as her voice cracked. "Let's fight so we don't have to fight ever again," she said.

Just then, apart of the ceiling in the living room splintered sending stones down on top of the couch, just missing William. The boy stood up and with his finger, he patched the hole effortlessly. But another crack was created. "Billy is on top trying to find his way in!"

"Billy is trying to get in?", Scully said, as her eyes bulged from fear. "Oh GOD! Mulder!"

He touched her cheek and kissed her lips. "No matter what happens, Scully. I will always love you. Whether I'm here or not, I could not love you any more than I do!"

Her tears streaked down her cheeks. "I love you too, Mulder. You are my heart and soul."

"And you are mine," he sighed heavily. "No matter what happens, we'll always be together. Whether on earth or on the other side."

"GET ARMED!", Doggett screamed out. "They're trying to breach our enclosure!"

Monica grabbed up two guns and bullets. She handed a gun to Maggie. "Point and shoot, ask questions later."

Maggie nodded. She had never expected to shoot a gun but she knew that she would if she had too, just as her daughter had. She needed to stay strong even though her heart was racing a mile a minute.

They could hear footsteps above them as Billy Miles tried to find an entrance to their in-ground fortress. They were armed and ready to defend themselves to their deaths, a real possibility. William shook his head. "I can't sit here and not doing anything."

"Son," Mulder said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. We have it."

"No," William said, removing his father's hand off his shoulder. "This is for me to do."

"No," Mulder said, shaking his head. "You're just a boy."

"Not any more," William said, backing up towards the door.

Scully moved forward. "William? What are you doing?"

He didn't answer as he edged his way towards the door that led outside.

"MULDER!", Scully said, as she ran towards their son. William turned and disappeared right in front of her. "OH MY GOD!", she said, staring at the empty hallway. "Where did he go?"

Mulder placed her in his arms, holding her tightly as she fought against him. "NO!", she screamed. "NO! Where is he? Mulder? Where's our son?", she said, walking all the way up to the front door and back. "NO!", she said, disbelieving. "Where is he?", she said, searching Mulder's eyes as he tried to corral her. She pushed at his chest. "No, get away from me! NO!", she repeated.

"Scully," Mulder said, reaching for her.

"NO!", she said, turning to remove the steel latch. Mulder and Doggett both snatched her fingers away.

"Stop it!", Mulder said.

She shook her head vigorously. "Mulder," she said, looking at him as if he could bring their son back.

Scully suddenly collapsed on the floor. Maggie and Monica rushed to her side. Mulder picked her up, being careful of her head as he navigated past doorways and furniture as he entered their bedroom. He laid her down in the bed as Maggie wet a cloth and laid it on top of her forehead.

"Watch her," Mulder said, to Mrs. Scully.

"Of course," she said, with pain in her eyes and shoulders.

He turned to Monica. "Come on, let's get back to it."

Monica looked shocked. "What about William?"

Mulder swallowed and closed his eyes. "I think our son sacrificed himself."

"For our side?", Monica questioned.

"I think it remains to be seen," Mulder said.

He looked back at Scully who was still out-cold and he turned and walked off. But not long afterwards, he wasn't surprised to find Scully awake and armed standing by his side. He touched her cheek gently. She turned to him. "Okay, it is what it is, Mulder. We have to fight."

He nodded. "You're right."

William stood outside the steel door. He could see Billy Miles standing a few yards in front of him, surrounded by fresh Super Soldiers. Some had blood on them from fresh kills of humans while others remained pristine. He looked up to the UFO above him and a blinding beam came down surrounding him. He shielded his eyes as he felt light-weight as he was transported up into the ship.

The blinding white light he saw was brighter than any light he had ever seen or imagined. When his eyes could adjust he saw that he was standing in a massive rounded room. When his eyes adjusted even more, he could see figures coming towards him. He instinctively backed up as they neared him. He noticed there were aliens of different heights. There were 4 ft tall grey mechanical-like aliens he felt were robotically controlled. Then there were the ones that looked human except for their strange eyes looking no differently than he did. But, he could feel that they weren't human; they were hybrids used to infiltrate the human population. He could sense that they were being used all over the world right at that very moment to turn against humans and wipe them out. But the aliens, he was even more afraid of were the 8 ft tall grey aliens he knew that were very much alive and very devilish. He could feel a dark coldness from them and it made him shiver. He didn't like them nor did he like their close proximity as they stared back at him. They felt evil and he looked around noticing that they were moving closer to him on all sides. "How do you know me?", William asked.

"You're parents were touched," he heard in his head.

"What do you mean?", he asked.

There was no answer. He watched as the room he was in began to spin slowly. "What are you doing? Are you trying to take me?"

"Come with us," the voice said. "We won't harm you. We will show you everything you've ever wanted to know."

"What about my parents?", he said, looking around him. "What about people? You're trying to kill them."

"You were chosen," the voice continued. "It's your destiny. With you we can build a new world."

William's eyes narrowed. "I liked the old one."

"The old world is no more. They are all dead."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I can feel them. There are survivors. They aren't all dead."

"They are all gone."

The room began to spin even more. "**STOP**!", William said, which made the ship shake.

"You belong with us. You are one of us!", multiple voices said in his head.

He could see the ship began to spin again and he raised his voice even higher. "**STOP**!"

He could see the Aliens coming towards him and he stretched out his hands, blocking them. "You don't belong here!", he said, calmly. "You can't destroy us!"

"You are one of us," he heard.

"No!", he said. "I am human!"

"A perfect human. A perfect human hybrid. A combination of_ Us_ and _Them_. Your powers are proof of that."

William's lips narrowed and his eyebrows raised. He stood there determined. "You will not win this war! You cannot! You will go back to wherever you came from and leave us alone!"

"Humans have been wiped out many times. We created humans but this time we will not recreate them. They're time on this planet has come to a permanent end."

"**NO!", **he said, as the enormous mother-ship shook around him. "I will destroy you!"

"You will join us."

"**I WILL DESTROY YOU**!", William said, his voice so loud that cracks began to appear in the ceiling of the ship.

William concentrated and the ship began to shake even more. He could feel them grow angry. He watched as they sent a pulsating shock wave towards him but again he blocked them. They surrounded him and he stretched out his hand knocking over the robotic aliens as if they were pins. Suddenly he was overtaken by the flesh and blood aliens who had him covered over on the floor. He screamed and watched as they caught on fire from the sound of his voice. He could see the hybrids coming towards him and he stretched out his hand sending a blinding bolt through them. The hybrids collapsed dead.

He ran to the door and walked out into the hallway of the ship. He could see even more aliens coming towards him. He backed up as they neared him. "GO AWAY!"

"We cannot," he heard them say.

"I'm getting mad," William said.

With a wave of William's hand, they fell over crushed. He walked on from room to room, searching for Aliens and destroying them as if they were toys. He came to the last room and stood there in disbelief. There in front of him stood a 12 foot Alien with enormous dark eyes with the universe and other stars swirling around within the lenses.

"You have done nothing," the alien said telepathetically, angered. "You cannot do anything to us. You are weak!"

"I will destroy you until you leave and never come back."

The alien grabbed William's arm and he could feel intense heat and the screams of millions of people as they had died. The alien stared at William and he watched as its starry eyes changed to images of his parents dying. He could see Mulder bloodied taking his last breath with Scully by his side, gasping for air.

William's eyes grew dark. He snatched his arm away and grabbed both of the aliens arm. With all of his strength, he squeezed sending bone-crushing pain into the non-human entity. He watched as the creature turned to ashes in his hands. He stepped back and gazed out at the images in front of him from the core of the ship. He could see fires and the bloated dead human bodies from the control panel. He walked over to the controls and with a flap of his hand over the panels, he watched as the small flying alien ships fractured and fell apart on to the ground, exploding into flames causing a rumbling all over the earth. He passed his hand again over the panels and moved over to the portal outlined on the ground. He watched as the white light enveloped him and he was returned back to the ground. He watched as the ship took off in the direction he'd sent it and as it shot out of the earths atmosphere, he could see in his mind's eye the ship implode sending parts of it falling back to earth. He turned to see the Super Soldiers were riddled with magnetite-filled bullets he knew were from his parents. There was one Super Soldier still alive though, Billy Miles. Billy Miles ran towards him and William's heart began to race.

"HEY!", he heard his mother's voice ring out.

At that, Billy Miles turned to look in her direction. William could see is parents, Mulder and Scully standing with their guns aimed at Billy's head. Doggett, Monica and Skinner were standing armed behind his parents. He heard Billy growl as he looked from them to William. A barrage of gunfire rang out. Billy shook himself off as the bullets went through him but were of no affected. The holes closed over and he was good as new. William looked to his family and spoke. "He is a different kind. You can't destroy him. Don't waste your bullets. You still may need them. There are still Super Soldiers out there but the Aliens are now gone."

Billy growled again and started racing towards William but he held up his hands, creating a bubble around Billy. An intense fire was created within the bubble nearing three thousand degrees melting Billy into a pool of liquified metal. William then dropped the bubble onto the ground and it shattered into tiny pieces. He then ran into his parent's arms. "Oh my boy," Scully said, her eyes closed as she held him. "Oh my son," she sighed.

"It's over," William said, smiling up at them. "They are gone. They won't be back."

Mulder kissed the top of his head and then kissed Scully's red lips. "It's over, Scully and we're still alive."

"Yes," she said, as tears fell down her cheeks. "We did it."

"Yes we did," William added.

Mulder rubbed his son's head and then turned to shake hands with Skinner, Monica and Doggett. Just then Maggie walked out and Scully hugged her mother tightly. "I love you mom."

"Is it over?", Maggie asked.

"It's all over."

Maggie smiled and then wrapped William in her warm arms. "I'm proud of you," she said

He smiled back.

"Now we have to rebuild," Mulder said, looking at the smoke and fires that burned all around them unchecked with the majority of people laying dead in the streets or torched in their homes.

"Now, we look for survivors," Scully said. "I need to grab my medical supplies. We need to search them out and heal them, if we can."

"I'll help you," William smiled.

Mulder grabbed her arm before she retreated back into their structure. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. His nose rubbed against hers and he kissed her, their tongues swirling around teeth and into the depths of each other's mouths. Mulder broke the kiss and stared into her eyes. "This all began and ended with us, Scully."

She smiled a wide generous smile. "I would do it all over again."

"Me too," he said, kissing her lips again.

"Alright you two," Monica. "Jeez, even at the end of the world, you two can't stay away from each other."

"That's right," Mulder said, winking at Scully as she and William re-entered their home.

"Come on," Doggett smiled. "Let's get back to work. Let's arm ourselves."

"We need to make sure that if we run into any more Super Soldiers on our way that we have enough special ammo," Skinner added.

They gathered their supplies and then marched on, their guns pointing in each direction as they began their search for survivors.

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**THE END**


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